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About

Pietro Pietrini is a pioneering neuroscientist whose research lies at the intersection of cognitive neuroscience, social cognition, and human-robot interaction. His major contributions explore how the human brain distinguishes between animate and inanimate agents, particularly through the perception of human versus robotic faces and actions. In his highly cited 2010 study (117 citations), Pietrini used fMRI to demonstrate that distinct neural systems are engaged when processing agency and animacy, revealing how the social brain responds differently to emotional expressions from humans versus robots. He has further advanced this field by investigating the neural correlates of human-robot handshaking, a complex motor and cognitive task that bridges neuroscience and robotics. Pietrini’s work on sensorimotor synergies between human and robot hands has helped lay the groundwork for more natural human-robot interaction. His interdisciplinary approach—combining neuroimaging, robotics, and psychology—has made him a key figure in understanding the brain’s mechanisms for social perception and interaction. Through these studies, Pietrini has not only deepened our understanding of social cognition but also informed the design of more intuitive and responsive robotic systems.