Michael Pettinatti

Papers

Total Citations

H-Index

About

Michael Pettinatti is a leading researcher in human-robot interaction and healthcare robotics, with a particular focus on ethical mediation in clinical settings. His most cited work, "An intervening ethical governor for a robot mediator in patient-caregiver relationship: Implementation and evaluation" (2017, 24 citations), introduces a groundbreaking robot mediator designed to improve communication between Parkinson's disease patients and their caregivers. Pettinatti addresses a critical challenge: patients' loss of facial muscle control often leads to misinterpretation of emotions and subsequent stigmatization. His ethical governor framework enables robots to intervene sensitively, ensuring accurate emotional expression and fostering more empathetic caregiving. This work bridges artificial intelligence, ethics, and assistive technology, offering a scalable solution to enhance patient dignity and caregiver understanding. Pettinatti's contributions are particularly notable for their real-world implementation and evaluation, demonstrating practical impact beyond theoretical models. His research has been recognized as a vital step toward integrating ethical AI in healthcare, with potential applications extending to other conditions affecting non-verbal communication. By prioritizing patient-centered design and ethical safeguards, Pettinatti continues to shape the future of compassionate, technology-assisted care.