Francesca Baldan

IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, University of Padua

Papers

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About

Francesca Baldan is a researcher dedicated to advancing neurorehabilitation through robotics, with a primary focus on restoring hand function after stroke. Her work sits at the intersection of biomedical engineering and clinical therapy, where she develops and validates prediction models to guide patient referral for robot-assisted rehabilitation. In her most-cited study (2021, 14 citations), Baldan created data-driven models that help clinicians determine which post-stroke patients are most likely to benefit from robotic hand therapy—a critical step toward personalized rehabilitation. Her earlier pilot work (2018, 7 citations) demonstrated that combining robot-assisted therapy with surface electromyography (sEMG) significantly improves hand recovery in hemiparetic patients by leveraging neuroplasticity through high-repetition, task-specific stimuli. A feasibility study (2015, 4 citations) laid the groundwork by showing that sEMG-driven robotic systems can effectively engage patients in active, effort-based training. Baldan’s contributions are notable for bridging the gap between engineering innovation and clinical practice, offering evidence-based tools that optimize therapy allocation. Her research holds promise for making robotic rehabilitation more accessible and effective, ultimately helping stroke survivors regain independence.