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About

Stefano Mottura is a pioneering researcher at the intersection of virtual reality, robotics, and post-stroke rehabilitation, with a career dedicated to humanizing technology-assisted recovery. His work centers on a crucial insight: that the patient’s psychological state—their awareness, motivation, and sense of agency—is as vital as the mechanical precision of the rehabilitation device. Mottura’s most cited paper (2015, 15 citations) introduces a VR system designed specifically to strengthen patient participation and awareness during recovery, moving beyond purely technical metrics. He further developed this patient-first philosophy in studies on avoiding boredom and anxiety in rehab (2012, 4 citations) and on enhancing personification through multimedia (2014, 6 citations). His 2016 work explicitly reframes the technological focus, arguing that the user’s experience must drive system design. While his citation counts reflect a specialized, emerging field, Mottura’s contributions are foundational for a paradigm shift: from treating the body to engaging the person. His research offers a vital blueprint for creating rehabilitation technologies that are not just effective, but truly empathetic.