Papers
10
Total Citations
340
H-Index
6
About
Manuel Franco is a researcher whose work sits at the intersection of assistive robotics, gerontechnology, and dementia care. His scholarship focuses primarily on the design, evaluation, and implementation of social robots for older adults, particularly those living with dementia and mild cognitive impairment. Franco's most influential contribution, a 2018 systematic review of social robots for aging and dementia populations, has accumulated 228 citations and remains a foundational reference in the field, mapping the landscape of robotic assistive technologies and their role in supporting independence and well-being. His subsequent scoping review on methodologies used to evaluate social robots (2022, 42 citations) further solidified his reputation as a rigorous synthesizer of evidence in this rapidly evolving domain. Beyond literature synthesis, Franco has made meaningful contributions to applied robotics, including work on the E2Rebot platform for upper limb neurorehabilitation in patients with acquired brain injuries. More recently, his research has centered on the MINI social robot, examining its usability, acceptability, and real-world implementation across community settings in Spain and the Netherlands. Collectively, Franco's body of work — spanning systematic reviews, clinical validation studies, and qualitative inquiry — has helped establish methodological standards and practical frameworks for integrating social robotics meaningfully into elder care.
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