Vittorio Solina is a Researcher at the Department of Mechanical, Energy and Management Engineering (DIMEG) of the University of Calabria, specializing in industrial systems simulation and digital twin technologies. His work spans Industry 4.0/5.0 applications, supply chain optimization, and human-robot collaboration. Affiliation: University of Calabria Academic Role: Researcher (Legge 240/10) Research Focus: Digital twins, simulation modeling, sustainable manufacturing His research emphasizes advanced simulation tools for decision support, including applications in Industry 4.0 , Smart Manufacturing , and Agri-Food Supply Chains . Recent work explores adaptive simulation optimization for Industry 5.0 and 5G-enabled robotics. Key publication trends include: (1) Digital twin integration for supply chain resilience (2024-2025), (2) Simulation automation methodologies (2025), and (3) Human-robot collaboration frameworks (2024).
Barbara Caputo is a Full Professor at Politecnico di Torino, leading the VANDAL Laboratory and directing the AI@PoliTo Interdepartmental Lab. She holds a double affiliation with the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT) and has held roles at Idiap-EPFL and Sapienza University. Her research focuses on AI, computer vision, domain adaptation, and federated learning. She contributes to national AI policy, including the Italian Strategy on AI and the National PhD on AI for Industry 4.0. She is an ERC Laureate and ELLIS Fellow, co-founding ELLIS society. Her work spans visual place recognition, action recognition, and cross-domain learning. Education: PhD in Computer Science from KTH Royal Institute of Technology (2005). Major roles include Rector’s Advisor on AI at PoliTo, Board Member of ELLIS, and coordinator of the AI & Industry 4.0 vertical in the National PhD program. Awards include ERC Laureate (2017), ELLIS Fellow (2019), and Inspiring Fifty Italy (2018). Her research emphasizes federated learning, domain adaptation, and AI ethics. Recent articles explore domain generalization, resource-efficient federated models, and AI-environment interactions. She collaborates with institutions like MUR, CNR, and the European Commission on AI policy and tech initiatives.
Oswald Lanz is a tenured full professor at the Faculty of Engineering of the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano , leading the Visual Computing Lab . He holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science and a Mathematics degree from the University of Trento. Prior to his current role, he was a researcher and head of research at FBK Trento. He is an endowed professor collaborating with Covision Lab , an AI hub in Bressanone, and coordinates the board of professors for the PhD in Computer Science program since 2025. His research focuses on Computer Vision, Deep Learning, and Video Analytics , with applications in sports technology, medical imaging, and industrial automation. Key achievements include the Amazon AWS Machine Learning Research Award (2020) , ACM Multimedia Best Paper (2015) , and Best Student Paper at ICIAP (2007) . He co-organized the ELLIS-VISMAC Winter School (2025) and chaired ICIAP 2019 . His work spans novel view synthesis, action recognition, and anomaly detection, supported by patents in video tracking and detection. He teaches courses like Deep Learning and Artificial Intelligence in undergraduate and graduate programs. Recent projects such as 5VREAL integrate 5G, edge computing, and AI for sports analysis. His collaborations bridge academia and industry, exemplified by his role in Covision Lab and multidisciplinary initiatives like DSS4LCO for food supply chains. Lanz’s publications emphasize spatiotemporal modeling, neural architecture search, and hybrid machine vision systems.
Luca Iocchi is a Full Professor at Sapienza University of Rome, where he teaches in the Master in Artificial Intelligence and Robotics program. He is affiliated with the Department of Computer, Control, and Management Engineering and the Faculty of Engineering of Information, Computer Science and Statistics. Iocchi serves as an Associate Editor for Artificial Intelligence Journal and has been the scientific coordinator of Spoke of PNRR project FAIR (Future AI Research). His educational background includes: Master in Engineering in Computer Science (Laurea in Ingegneria Informatica) cum Laude, Sapienza Università di Roma, 1995 PhD in Engineering in Computer Science (Dottorato in Ingegneria Informatica), Sapienza Università di Roma, 1999 Professor Iocchi's research focuses on cognitive robotics, task planning, multi-robot coordination, robot perception, robot learning, human-robot interaction, and social robotics. His work has significant applications in security, surveillance, and environmental monitoring. He has published over 200 referred papers with an h-index of 46 (Google Scholar). His research bridges theoretical AI with practical robotic systems operating in real-world environments, with a particular emphasis on developing intelligent systems that can interact effectively with humans. His recent publications show a strong trend toward multi-agent reinforcement learning, trust modeling in human-AI teams, UAV coordination, and planning systems. There's a clear focus on making robotic systems more reliable, efficient, and capable of operating in complex real-world scenarios like healthcare facilities and smart cities. His work increasingly integrates formal planning approaches with machine learning techniques. Professor Iocchi has received numerous scientific awards: 1999 Top Paper Award WebNet'99 2006 Best Paper Award RoboCup 2006 2008 Best Robotics Demo Award AAMAS 2008 2014 Best Paper Award For Engineering Contribution RoboCup 2014 2017 RoboCup@Home SSPL 2017 - 3rd place 2018 Canada-Italy Innovation Award 2019 Best Paper Award For Engineering Contribution RoboCup 2019 As an academic advisor, Iocchi has directed the PhD Program in Engineering in Computer Science from 2020 to 2023. He has been Principal Investigator for numerous research projects including SciRoc (European Robotics League), AI4EU (European AI project), BUBBLES, AIPlan4EU, ROSITA, Trust Your Agents, and FAIR. His research has been supported by EU H2020 programs, national grants, and industry collaborations, demonstrating strong connections between academia and practical applications. Professor Iocchi is actively involved with the Cognitive Cooperating Robots Lab (LabRoCoCo) and is a key member of the RoboCup Federation, having served as Vice-President from 2019 to 2024. He has played a significant role in benchmarking domestic service robots through RoboCup@Home and the European Robotics League Service Robots (ERL-SR), which he helped establish. His leadership in organizing international scientific robot competitions has been instrumental in advancing the field of service robotics.
Aldo Gangemi is a Full Professor in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Bologna, specializing in Informatics (INFO-01/A). His research integrates Semantic Technologies, Natural Language Processing, Data Science, and Cognitive Science to address challenges in knowledge representation, ontology engineering, and cultural heritage informatics. He co-founded the STLab at ISTC-CNR and DHARC at the University of Bologna, and is on leave from Sorbonne Paris Nord University (Computer Science Lab - LIPN). Scientific roles include serving as area chair for Web Semantics , editorial board member for Semantic Web and Applied Ontology , and conference chairs for major events like WWW2015 and ESWC2018. He has led European projects such as GALEN, WonderWeb, NeOn, and MARIO, and developed software tools like FRED, Aemoo, and Framester. Research interests focus on semantic technologies, knowledge patterns, and applications in humanities, medicine, law, and fisheries. Over 250 peer-reviewed publications span these areas, with emphasis on ontology-based knowledge integration, multimodal reasoning, and ethical AI. His work bridges cognitive science and technological innovation, particularly in virtual reality's societal applications and cultural heritage preservation. Notable contributions include the PRIVAFRAME knowledge graph for sensitive data, the ImageSchemaNet ontology for embodied cognition, and the Sandra neuro-symbolic reasoner. His interdisciplinary approach addresses challenges in AI ethics, creative systems, and citizen-driven data curation.
Marilena Vendittelli is a Professor at Sapienza University of Rome, affiliated with the Robotics group. Her research spans control systems, biomedical robotics, motion planning, and autonomous systems. Research Areas: Control systems for robotics and nonholonomic systems Biomedical applications (hyperthermia therapy, needle insertion) UAV navigation and obstacle avoidance Haptics and human-robot interaction Adaptive estimation algorithms Recent Publications focus on adaptive control of bio-heat equations, safe UAV motion planning, soft robotics actuation, and haptic feedback in medical procedures.
Eleonora Vacca is a PhD student and Research Fellow in the Department of Automatic Control and Computer Science (DAUIN) at the Polytechnic University of Turin. She holds a B.S. in Electronic Engineering from the University of Palermo (2018) and an M.S. in Electronic Engineering-Embedded Systems from Politecnico di Torino (2021). Her research focuses on digital hardware design, reliability engineering, reconfigurable devices, and AI applications in aerospace and safety-critical systems. She is a member of the Aerospace and Safety Computing Lab and the CAD - Electronic CAD & Reliability Group (DAUIN). Her work addresses challenges such as radiation effects mitigation in space missions, fault-tolerant AI accelerators, and real-time anomaly detection in satellite telemetry. She has contributed to projects like the RAMSES CubeSat-1 Development (2025-2026), funded by commercial contracts. In 2024, she won the Best Student Paper Award at the NEWCAS Conference for her research on radiation effects in space missions. Vacca collaborates on teaching, including assisting in the course 'Electronic Calculators' for Computer Engineering students. Her recent publications explore AI resilience in RISC-V ecosystems, radiation environment analysis for space missions, and gesture recognition systems for smart cities. She actively contributes to conferences such as the ACM International Conference on Computing Frontiers and the IEEE International Smart Cities Conference.
Luigi De Russis is an Associate Professor at the Department of Control and Computer Engineering (DAUIN) within Politecnico di Torino . He serves as Deputy Director of DAUIN and is a member of the PIC4SeR (PoliTO Interdepartmental Centre for Service Robotics). His academic roles focus on Human-Computer Interaction , Digital Wellbeing , and Artificial Intelligence applications. Research interests: Accessibility, Conversational agents, Developers tools, Digital wellbeing, Intelligent user interfaces, Internet of Things Teaching: Courses in Human-AI Interaction, Web Applications, and Computer Vision at undergraduate and graduate levels Leadership: Vice-President of ACM SIGCHI (2024-), Executive Committee member (2021-2024) His research explores: Digital wellbeing education for teens through gamified systems AI-assisted UI design tools Smart home interaction via multimodal commands End-user development for self-control technologies Integration of accessibility guidelines in AI systems Recent article trends show a focus on generative AI for interface design, attention-capturing heuristics, and educational systems for step-by-step learning. He has received the Most Influential Paper Award (2024) and Best Late Breaking Results Award (2025) from ACM SIGCHI. Scientific awards: Award of Scientific Excellence, University of Salamanca (2011) Most Influential Paper Award, International Conference on Intelligent Environments (2024) Best Late Breaking Results Paper Award, ACM SIGCHI Symposium (2025) As advisor, he supervises PhD students in Artificial Intelligence and Computer Engineering , focusing on topics like user-centered AI, generative models, and digital self-control interfaces. He leads the ELITE research group and contributes to commercial projects including TEIA (AI tourism) and MAPP (interactive museums).
Secil Ugur Yavuz is a Professor at the Faculty of Design and Arts, Department of Design, at Free University of Bozen-Bolzano. Her academic work spans eco-social design, research through design, and tangible human-technology interactions, with a particular focus on sustainable materials and collective making practices. She teaches courses including Design 3 for the Master in Eco-social Design and doctoral programs in Experimental Research through Design, Art and Technologies. Professor Yavuz's research explores the intersection of analog and digital through tangible human-technology interactions, with significant contributions to sustainable material systems. Her FERAL WOOL project investigates ecological and cultural dimensions of wool, while her work with biomaterials like microbial cellulose and open-source bioreactors addresses circular production systems. She employs embodied and speculative approaches to examine microplastic emissions, children's nature engagement through tools like TREESENSE, and social play with interactive toys. Her recent publications reveal a strong thematic focus on material culture, sustainability, and human-centered design across multiple scales. The research demonstrates consistent exploration of how digital and physical realms interact to create meaningful user experiences while addressing ecological challenges. Key trends include the use of embodied interaction methods, speculative design for cultural critique, and co-creative processes that bridge technological innovation with social and environmental responsibility. Yavuz leads the Design Friction Lab, which investigates the philosophical foundations of design through customizable interfaces and DIY approaches. Her work with doctoral students in Experimental Research through Design emphasizes reshaping technologies through collective making processes. The FERAL WOOL research project represents a significant current initiative exploring sustainable textile futures through both ecological and cultural lenses.
Michael Haller is a Full Professor at the Faculty of Engineering, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Italy, where he serves as founder and director of the Media Interaction Lab. Based at NOI Techpark, his work focuses on next-generation human-computer interfaces, leading a team of over 10 researchers and students in developing innovative interaction technologies for automotive and wearable applications. He earned his Dipl.-Ing. (1997), Dr. techn. (2001), and Habilitation (2007) degrees from Johannes Kepler University of Linz, Austria. Haller's research centers on Human-Computer Interaction with specialized expertise in Smart Textile Interfaces, Physical Prototyping, and Ubiquitous Computing. His lab pioneers user-centered design of next-generation interfaces through industry collaborations with BMW, KTM, SEFAR, and Tratter Engineering. Current work emphasizes sustainable materials for flexible sensors, touchless interaction, and reducing plastic components in automotive interfaces while maintaining ergonomic functionality. His 15 most recent publications (2023-2025) demonstrate a clear trajectory toward sustainable sensor technologies, particularly biodegradable substrates (wood, animal-based, stone, gelatin) for temperature and pressure sensing. These works bridge materials science with HCI, targeting automotive interfaces, health monitoring, and eco-fashion through textile-based solutions that prioritize environmental sustainability without sacrificing performance. His scientific accolades include: Erwin Schrödinger Fellowship Award Google Research Award Europrix Top Talent Award Best ACM SIGGRAPH Emerging Technologies Award Microsoft Imagine Cup 7 Best Paper and Honorable Mention Awards at ACM CHI and ACM UIST Haller directs major research projects including SmartCover (2024-2026) for developing smart laminated dashboards that replace plastic components with gesture-based textile interfaces, and iPlayground (2024-2026) establishing an industrial-scale smart textile lab. He mentors researchers in prototyping and empirical evaluation, with industry grants supporting the development of washable touchless fabrics and next-generation vehicle interfaces. His work bridges academic research and commercial product development through direct industry partnerships. The Media Interaction Lab operates from NOI Techpark with industrial knitting/sewing machines, confocal microscopes for surface analysis, and a collaborative Idea Space for rapid prototyping. Current infrastructure enables development of warp-knitted smart textiles for automotive consoles and sustainable fashion applications, focusing on reducing plastic waste while creating intuitive touchless interaction experiences through magnetoresistive and inductive sensing technologies.
Maurizio MUZZUPAPPA is a Full Professor at the Department of Mechanical, Energy and Management Engineering (University of Calabria) since 2018. His roles include Rector's Delegate for Technology Transfer, Academic Delegate for Education at DIMEG, and Head of the Physical Prototyping Laboratory at the MaTeRiA Center (UNICAL-CNISM collaboration). He supervises the Unical Racing Team in Formula SAE competitions and co-founded three university spin-offs: 3DResearch, Tech4Sea, and Q-BOT. As Scientific Director of projects like TECH4YOU (climate change adaptation technologies) and GROWN IN THE BLUE (Mediterranean reef conservation), he integrates research in industrial design, augmented reality, and underwater cultural heritage. He has authored over 200 publications (h-index 27) and holds 10 patents. His teaching includes Tools and Methods for Industrial Design and Formula SAE LAB . His research focuses on: Industrial design methodologies with parametric and sustainable approaches 3D prototyping and additive manufacturing User-Centered Design for product ergonomics Virtual/Augmented Reality applications in engineering and cultural heritage Underwater robotics and artifact restoration Recent publications highlight trends in AR for industrial maintenance, generative design tools, and mechatronic solutions for underwater heritage. He has supervised over 300 theses and 10 Ph.D. students while leading technology transfer initiatives.
Michela Maschietto is a Full Professor at the Department of Education and Human Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, with a focus on mathematics education methodology and historical mathematical artifacts. She previously held positions at the Mathematics campus and leads the Laboratory of Mathematical Machines. Research Interests: Her work bridges physical and digital tools in mathematics education, emphasizing semiotic mediation, argumentation development, and historical instrument reconstruction for pedagogical purposes. She explores geometric-mechanical artifacts for calculus concepts and investigates connections between spatial/geometrical knowledge. 2025 study on geometry education trends using didactic tetrahedron model 2024 research on physical-digital tool integration for argumentative skill development 2023 projects involving tactile calculus devices and conic section machines Teaching Activities: She designs mandatory laboratory components for primary education students, covering national guidelines, semiotic mediation theory, and historical artifacts like abacuses and programmable robots. Her courses emphasize problem-solving, geometric visualization, and standardized assessment analysis. Laboratory Involvement: As head of the Mathematical Machines Laboratory, she organizes exhibitions and workshops using reconstructed historical instruments for mathematics popularization. This includes collaborations with international researchers on topics like the Pythagorean theorem and conic sections.
Federico Becattini is a Tenure-Track Assistant Professor at the Department of Information Engineering and Mathematics (DIISM), University of Siena, Italy. He is an active member of the Siena Artificial Intelligence Lab (SAILab), where he contributes to cutting-edge research in computer vision, deep learning, and artificial intelligence. His work spans multiple interdisciplinary domains, including autonomous driving, human behavior understanding, cultural heritage, neuromorphic vision, and fashion recommendation. His research interests center on memory-based neural networks , which he has applied in numerous publications at top-tier venues such as CVPR, ECCV, IEEE TPAMI, and ACM TOMM. He has also delivered tutorials on this topic at international conferences including ICIAP 2022 and ACM MM 2022, and taught a Ph.D. course at the University of Florence. His recent work is aligned with the Collectionless AI paradigm, which emphasizes continual learning and interaction with dynamic environments. The recent publications highlight a strong trend in human-centric AI , focusing on understanding people through multimodal analysis of face, body, and clothing, as well as generating 3D virtual avatars. There is also a clear emphasis on memory-augmented architectures for temporal reasoning, explainability, and adaptive learning. His editorial role as Associate Editor of the International Journal of Multimedia Information Retrieval further underscores his standing in the research community. Associate Editor, International Journal of Multimedia Information Retrieval (IJMIR) Organizer, Workshop on Facial and Body Expressions (ICPR2020) Co-organizer, T-CAP Workshop (ICIAP2021, ICPR2022) Co-organizer, MCFR Workshop (ACM MM 2022) Co-organizer, WCPA Workshop and Challenge (ECCV 2022) Federico Becattini actively advises students and researchers within SAILab, particularly in the context of Ph.D. theses and research projects related to Collectionless AI and memory-based models. While specific grants are not mentioned, his extensive publication record and leadership in workshops and editorial roles suggest involvement in funded research initiatives. He collaborates with both academic and international research communities, serving as a reviewer for top-tier conferences and journals. He is a core member of the SAILab research group, which is pioneering the Collectionless AI initiative—a framework for continual learning over time, interacting with humans and agents without relying on pre-built static datasets. This lab serves as a hub for innovation in adaptive and sustainable AI systems.
Marco Ghislieri is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Electronics and Telecommunications (DET) of Politecnico di Torino, Italy. He is a member of the Interdepartmental Center PolitoBIOMed Lab and teaches in the Biomedical Engineering program, including courses like Neuroengineering and Design of Programmable Biomedical Devices . His research spans Artificial Intelligence, Biomedical Signal Processing, Neuroscience, and Rehabilitation Engineering . PhD in Bioengineering and Medical-Surgical Sciences (2017-2021) at Politecnico di Torino Thesis: Muscle Synergy Assessment during Cyclic and Non-Cyclic Movements His research focuses on muscle synergy analysis in Parkinson’s Disease (PD) patients post- Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) , AI-driven gait analysis for fall prevention, and wearable sensor applications for stress-cognitive decline monitoring. He leads the S-CoDe and OMNIA-PARK projects, and contributes to PRIN as a team member. Recent publications highlight advancements in machine learning for intraoperative DBS targeting , statistical gait analysis , and neurorehabilitation tools . He serves as Associate Editor for Scientific Reports and Applied Bionics and Biomechanics , and Guest Editor for Frontiers in Neural Circuits . Awards include the Carlo J. De Luca Award (2022) , GNB Doctoral Award (2022) , and the Best Poster Award at M. Grattarola Summer School (2022) . He supervises Fabrizio Sciscenti (PhD candidate) and collaborates on neuroengineering and biomedical device design courses. His work addresses Goal 3 (Good Health) and Goal 4 (Quality Education) of the UN SDGs.
Maria Luce Lupetti is a Fixed-term Assistant Professor at the Department of Architecture and Design (DAD) at Politecnico di Torino . She actively contributes to the College of Architecture and Design and is a member of the College of Mechanical, Aerospace and Automotive Engineering . Her academic role involves teaching Cognitive Ergonomics and HMI in the Automotive Engineering master's program and collaborating on Design and Communication courses. Editorial Roles: Associate Editor for the journal INTERACTIONS since 2024 Conference Leadership: Participating in organizing committee for CHI 2026 Research Projects: Scientific Director of PARJAI (2025-2028) on Participatory Design Justice for Ethical AI Transitions Research Focus : Maria's work bridges Design with Human-Robot Interaction , focusing on Ethical AI , Speculative Design , and Urban Robotics . Her recent publications explore: Speculative design for sustainable digital futures Contextual adaptability challenges in urban robotics Design taxonomies for demystifying AI Trustworthy embodied agents in healthcare Creative applications of AI in HRI Ethical frameworks for energy futures Design Philosophy : She emphasizes participatory approaches, critical design thinking, and transdisciplinary collaboration to address societal challenges at the intersection of technology, ethics, and human factors. Her work appears in leading venues including CHI , HRI , and Frontiers in Neurorobotics , while also contributing to edited volumes and journal special issues.