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About

Lucia Cascone’s research lies at the intersection of social robotics, cybersecurity, and ambient assisted living, with a particular focus on the humanoid robot Pepper. Her most cited work, “DTPAAL: Digital Twinning Pepper and Ambient Assisted Living” (34 citations), pioneers the use of digital twins to enhance Pepper’s capabilities for elderly care, enabling richer human-robot interaction through virtual simulation. In “Contextual Trust Model With a Humanoid Robot Defense for Attacks to Smart Eco-Systems” (14 citations), she addresses a critical vulnerability: Pepper’s limited onboard resources make it susceptible to cyberattacks. Cascone proposes a contextual trust model that leverages external fog computing to defend smart ecosystems, blending robotics with security. Her paper “Social Robot Interactions for Social Engineering: Opportunities and Open Issues” (13 citations) explores the dark side of human-robot trust, examining how social robots could be weaponized for psychological manipulation—a forward-looking contribution to information security. By integrating digital twinning, trust models, and social engineering awareness, Cascone is shaping safer, more capable social robots for real-world deployment. Her work is essential reading for researchers in human-robot interaction, cybersecurity, and assistive technology.