Giusi Figliano

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About

Giusi Figliano is a leading researcher at the intersection of gerontechnology and social robotics, focusing on how human-robot interaction can address the cognitive and social challenges of an ageing society. Her work centers on developing and evaluating Socially Assistive Robotics (SAR) for individuals with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and early-stage dementia. Figliano’s major contributions include a landmark systematic review (2023, 19 citations) that established a critical framework for using SAR to mitigate the progression of cognitive and social symptoms in predementia conditions, highlighting the urgent need for interdisciplinary solutions. She is also the principal investigator behind the innovative “Tom and Pepper Lab” study (2025, 8 citations), which demonstrated the feasibility of using robots like Pepper for targeted cognitive stimulation and social skills training, particularly in improving Theory of Mind. Her work is notable for bridging clinical neuropsychology with cutting-edge robotics, offering practical, non-pharmacological interventions that are both scalable and engaging. With her research already shaping policy discussions and clinical pilot programs, Figliano is a pivotal voice in the movement to make assistive robotics a standard tool in geriatric care.