Susanna Piermattei
Papers
1
Total Citations
4
H-Index
1
About
Susanna Piermattei is a leading voice in the emerging field of human-robot interaction, with a particular focus on the ethical and relational dimensions of sexual robotics. Her work challenges purely technological or functionalist views, advancing a social-relational approach that examines how humans form subjective bonds with artificial agents. In her most-cited paper, "Sexual Robots: The Social-Relational Approach and the Concept of Subjective Reference" (2020), Piermattei introduces the concept of "subjective reference" to argue that the meaning of a robot's actions is co-constructed through human interpretation and relational context. This contribution has shaped debates on robot rights, intimacy, and the ethics of artificial companionship, earning her recognition as a thoughtful critic of simplistic design paradigms. While her citation count is still growing, her work is increasingly referenced in interdisciplinary discussions spanning philosophy, robotics, and gender studies. Piermattei’s scholarship invites researchers and students alike to reconsider what it means to relate to machines—not as mere tools, but as entities that can hold subjective significance in human lives.
Research Focus
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Top Papers
- 1