Vanessa Castelli

About

Vanessa Castelli is a leading researcher in the fields of rehabilitation robotics, human-machine interaction, and soft actuation technologies. Her work focuses on developing innovative robotic systems that restore motor function and enhance human capabilities, particularly for individuals with neurological impairments. Castelli’s most notable contribution is her pioneering development of an EMG-driven robotic hand exoskeleton for bilateral grasp training in stroke patients. This system, detailed in her highly cited 2013 paper (36 citations), uses electromyographic signals from the unimpaired hand to control a robotic exoskeleton on the impaired hand, enabling active, bilateral rehabilitation of grasping motion. Beyond rehabilitation, Castelli has advanced the field of soft robotics by designing electronic drivers to improve the electromechanical response of Dielectric Elastomer Actuators (2010, 26 citations), and has explored their use in antagonistic configurations for parallel robots intended for human-machine interaction. Her work bridges the gap between advanced actuator technology and practical clinical applications, demonstrating a clear impact on both engineering design and therapeutic practice. Castelli’s research continues to push the boundaries of how robotic systems can assist and restore human movement.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   An emg-based robotic hand exoskeleton for bilateral training of grasp

   36 citations · 2013
2. 2
   An electronic driver for improving the open and closed loop electro-mechanical response of Dielectric Elastomer actuators

   26 citations · 2010
3. 3
   Parallel Robot with Antagonistic Dielectric Elastomer Actuation for Human-Machine Interaction

   2 citations · 2010

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links