Martina Ruocco
Papers
6
Total Citations
175
H-Index
6
About
Martina Ruocco investigates the intersection of human-robot interaction (HRI), social robotics, and cognitive psychology, with a focus on trust, Theory of Mind (ToM), and emotional engagement. Her most cited work (67 citations) demonstrates how a social robot’s emotional and behavioural distractions can reduce children’s anxiety during vaccination, showcasing practical applications for healthcare. Ruocco’s studies on trust reveal that ToM—the ability to understand others’ beliefs and intentions—significantly improves human trust in iterative human-robot games (18 citations) and daily interactions (47 citations). She also explores robot disengagement and distraction during non-interactive tasks (20 citations), highlighting design challenges for assistive robots. Her research on artificial emotions in humanoid robots (17 citations) and reactive approaches for domestic robots (6 citations) further advances natural, personalised HRI. With over 175 total citations, Ruocco’s work bridges cognitive science and robotics, offering insights into how robots can earn trust, reduce anxiety, and integrate seamlessly into human environments. Her contributions are pivotal for developing socially assistive robots in healthcare, elderly care, and beyond.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
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- 4Theory of Mind Improves Human’s Trust in an Iterative Human-Robot Game18 citations · 2021
- 5Better alone than in bad company17 citations · 2019
- 6