Nicola Macchiarulo
Papers
14
Total Citations
184
H-Index
7
About
Nicola Macchiarulo is a researcher whose work sits at the dynamic intersection of social robotics, human-robot interaction, and assistive technology. His research focuses on deploying social robots — most notably the Pepper robot — across diverse real-world contexts, including education, healthcare, and cultural heritage. Macchiarulo has made significant contributions to the use of robots as engaging interfaces for serious games, most prominently through the PeppeRecycle project, which demonstrated how playful robot-child interaction could meaningfully improve attitudes toward waste recycling, earning over 60 citations and becoming his most recognized work. His research extends into healthcare applications, where he has explored robot-assisted cognitive stimulation therapy for individuals with mild dementia, emotion detection during therapeutic sessions, and dance-based interventions for Parkinson's disease patients. He has also investigated the use of social robots to support children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in developing gestural communication skills. Across these varied domains, Macchiarulo consistently applies soft biometrics and adaptive learning techniques to make robots more socially responsive. With a growing body of work accumulating over 170 citations, his research highlights the transformative potential of social robots as compassionate, intelligent companions across age groups and clinical needs.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
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- 3Learning waste Recycling by playing with a Social Robot18 citations · 2019
- 4Dancing With Parkinson's Disease: The SI-ROBOTICS Study Protocol17 citations · 2021
- 5Soft Biometrics for Social Adaptive Robots10 citations · 2019
- 6Pepper4Museum: Towards a Human-like Museum Guide.8 citations · 2020
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