Katerina Fotopoulou

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About

Katerina Fotopoulou is a leading researcher in affective neuroscience, whose work explores the profound role of touch in emotional bonding, body awareness, and mental health. Her key research areas include interoception, the neuropsychology of body representation, and the therapeutic potential of affective touch. A major contribution is her pioneering investigation into how soft robotic haptic devices can replicate the comforting properties of human touch. In her highly cited 2021 study, she developed the S-CAT (Soft Robotic Affective Touch) device, comparing its performance to brush and human touch, and demonstrating its potential to deliver emotionally meaningful tactile stimulation. This work bridges engineering and clinical psychology, offering new avenues for treating conditions like depression and eating disorders where touch perception is altered. With over 12 citations on this paper alone and a growing body of influential work, Fotopoulou’s research has reshaped our understanding of how the brain processes social and emotional touch. Her achievements include leading interdisciplinary collaborations and receiving recognition for integrating robotics with affective science, making her a key figure in the emerging field of computational affective touch.