Irene Di Bernardo

Federico II University Hospital, University of Naples Federico II

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About

Irene Di Bernardo is a leading researcher at the intersection of human–robot interaction, service systems, and care robotics. Her work fundamentally rethinks how robots transform work practices and human well-being, adopting a systems and practice-based perspective. She has made major contributions by demonstrating how human–robot collaboration reshapes customer care and service workflows, and by exploring how companion robots affect caring practices and affect-based well-being in dementia care settings. Her 2024 study on human–robot collaboration (7 citations) provides a foundational framework for understanding the systemic impacts of robotic technology on work practices. Her 2025 work on socially assistive robots in dementia care (4 citations) introduces the concept of *agencement* to capture emergent configurations of humans, nonhumans, and discourses. Additionally, her 2025 study on voice- vs. text-based educational robots (3 citations) offers novel insights into how interaction styles shape cognitive, emotional, and behavioral student engagement. Di Bernardo’s research is notable for its interdisciplinary approach, combining practice-based action research with systems thinking, and for its timely focus on ethical, affective, and practical dimensions of robotics in real-world settings.