Objectives of Org(SB-EAI)

1. Theoretical construction of (target and evolver) models of minimal autopoietic systems implementable in wetware models

2. Determining techniques, approaches and materials to proceed to the chemical implementation of the wetware (target and evolver) systems previously defined

3. Definition of a set of criteria to evaluate the relevance of wetware models of biological and cognitive processes for the advancement of the scientific understanding of life and cognition

4. Determination of the applicative potentialities of these models and definition of guidelines for an effective and sustainable experimental follow up of the project

Public Engagement

1. 2024-mm-gg: Website (prin-2022-org-sb-eai)

2. 2024-09-27: Poster at the European Researchers' Night 2024 (ex Monastero degli Olivetani, Lecce)

3. 2025-09-26: Poster at the European Researchers' Night 2025 (ex Monastero degli Olivetani, Lecce)

Workshops

1. 2024-07-25: L. Damiano, P. Stano, Y. Kuruma, Organization of the workshop "SB-AI 9. From imitative to biologically plausible synthetic models of natural cognition" as a satellite event of the ALIFE-2024 hybrid conference, Copenhagen.

2. 2024-10-23:  L. Damiano, B. Dunstan, R. Mannocci, Organization of the workshop “Toward novel concepts of social presence for robots” workshop at ICSR 2024, Odense, Denmark.

3. 2025-09-11: I. Alfieri, A. Fleres,  R. Mannocci, H. Lehmann, L. Damiano, Organization of the Special Session 03 "Social Robotics and Sustainability - Transdisciplinary dialogues on social robots’ philosophical, scientific and technological innovation" at the International Conference on Social Robotics + AI (ICSR+AI 2025) , Naples 10-12 September 2025.

4. 2025-09-24: P. L. Gentili, D. Magri, J. Gorecki, P. Stano, Organization of the MDPI Topic webinar "Recent Advances in Chemical Artificial Intelligence by Exploring Molecular Systems"

5. 2025-10-09: L. Damiano, A. Fleres, Y. Kuruma, A. Roli, P. Stano, Organization of the workshop "SB-AI 10: Self-organization in (nano and electromechanical) robots. Towards the robosphere" as a satellite event of the ALIFE-2025 hybrid conference, Kyoto, 6-10 October 2025.

Talks and Lectures

1. 2023-11-09: A. Roli "A cybernetic perspective of evolution", Open historicity of life Colloquium at École Normal Supériuere, Paris, France.

2. 2024-05-09: L. Damiano “Synthetic Biology and Artificial Intelligence. From Cybernetic Epistemology to Autopoietic Chemical AI”, Machines in thoughts. Philosophy, History and Epistemology of Robotics and AI Workshop, University of Bologna, Italy. 

3. 2024-07-23: S. Rubin "Models and Simulations of the Living forms", presented at the workshop The Fourth Workshop on Chemistry and Artificial Life Forms (Chemaliforms IV) , a satellite event of The 2024 Conference on Artificial Life (ALIFE2024), Copenhagen, Denmark. (online)

4. 2024-07-25: S. Rubin "Theoretical Cartography of Autopoiesis", presented at the SB-AI 9. From imitative to biologically plausible synthetic models of natural cognition, a satellite event of  The 2024 Conference on Artificial Life (ALIFE2024), Copenhagen, Denmark. (online)

5. 2024-07-30: L. Damiano “Social Robots. Challenges and opportunities from an epistemological point of view”, Discerning boundaries. Philosophy across cultures, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy

6. 2024-08-02: L. Damiano “Artificial Empathy. From epistemology towards ethics”, Council for Research in Values and Philosophy Technological Challenges to Philosophy – Past and Coming Waves, Special session, XXV World Congress of Philosophy – Rome 2024, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy

7. 2024-09-03: P. Stano "Systems Chemistry", a lecture for PhD students of the course "Environmental and Biological Sciences and Technologies" DiSTeBA-Unisalento (in presence)

8. 2024-09-11: S. Rubin "Steps to chemically embodied cognition", presented at The WIVACE 2024. XVIII International Workshop on Artificial Life and Evolutionary Computation, Namur, Belgium. (in presence)

9. 2024-09-12: S. Rubin "Sense-making in Embodied AI – Towards Autopoietic Chemical AI", presented at The 28th World Multiconference on Systemics, Cybernetics and Informatics (WMSCI), Special Track on Knowledge and Cognitive Science and Technologies, Florida, US. (online)

10. 2024-11-25: A. Roli "An exploration of the boundary between organisms and machines", seminar at NADI, Université de Namur, Namur, Belgium.

11. 2024-12-02: A. Roli "A cybernetic perspective of adaptive robots -and recent results", seminar at IRIDIA, Université libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium.

12. 2025-09-04: L. Damiano, A. Fleres "Toward a Gaian Synthetic Approach. Techno-Apoptosis as a Catalyst for Sustainable Robotics", presented at The WIVACE 2025. XIX International Workshop on Artificial Life and Evolutionary Computation, Siena, Italy, 3-5 September 2025. (in presence)

13. 2025-09-17: L. Damiano, P. Dumouchel "Beyond Strong Social Robotics. A Relational Perspective", presented at The 4th International Conference on Human and Artificial Rationalities (HAR 2025), Paris, 16-19 September 2025. (online)

14. 2025-10-06: L. Damiano "Techno-(Neg)-Autopoiesis. Understanding-by-building Life, Death, and their Entanglement", presented at the workshop "Mortal Agents in ALIFE" as a satellite event of the ALIFE-2025 hybrid conference, Kyoto, 6-10 October 2025. (in presence)

15. 2025-10-09: A. Fleres "What is the Robosphere? An Epistemological Perspective", presented at the workshop "SB-AI 10: Self-organization in (nano and electromechanical) robots. Towards the robosphere" as a satellite event of the ALIFE-2025 hybrid conference, Kyoto, 6-10 October 2025. (in presence)

16. 2025-10-15 L. Damiano “The Olfactory Turn in Social Robotics: ScentDia”, GV Seminars, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan

17. 2026-01-24 L. Damiano “Presenze robotiche. Co-abitare la differenza”, TEDxLatina, Latina, Italy. 

18. 2026-02-19 A. Fleres,  L. Damiano “Da AIBO alla robosfera. Interdipendenze organizzazionali per una robotica sostenibile”,  SunnyColaTech. First Bari Philosophy Symposium on Robotics and AI, Bari, Italy. 

Publications

1. Del Moro, L.; Magarini, M.; Stano, P. Semantic Information as a Measure of Synthetic Cells’ Knowledge of the Environment. In: “Artificial Life and Evolutionary Computation. 17th Italian Workshop, WIVACE 2023, Venice, Italy, September 6–8, 2023, Revised Selected Papers”, M. Villani, S. Cagnoni, R. Serra (Eds.). Springer, Cham (CH). Communications in Computer and Information Science 2024, 1977, 98-110. (link)

2. Damiano, L.; Stano, P. General Lines, Routes and Perspectives of Wetware Embodied AI. From its Organizational Bases to a Glimpse on Social Chemical Robotics. In: “Artificial Life and Evolutionary Computation. 17th Italian Workshop, WIVACE 2023, Venice, Italy, September 6–8, 2023, Revised Selected Papers”. M. Villani, S. Cagnoni, R. Serra (Eds.). Springer, Cham (CH). Communications in Computer and Information Science 2024, 1977, 111-122. (link)

3. Gentili, P. L.; Stano, P. Living Cells and Biological Mechanisms as Prototypes for Developing Chemical Artificial Intelligence. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 2024, 720, 150060. (link)

4. Roli, A.; Braccini, M.; Stano, P. On the positive role of noise and error in complex systems. MDPI Systems 2024, 12, 338. (link)

5. Gentili, P. L.; Zurlo, M. P.; Stano, P. Neuromorphic Engineering in Wetware: The State of the Art and Its Perspectives. Frontiers in Neuroscience 2024, 18, 1443121. (link)

6. Rubin, S.; Stano, P.; Roli, A.; Damiano, L. Sense-making in Embodied AI. Towards Autopoietic Chemical AI. In: Proceedings of The 28th World Multi-Conference on Systemics, Cybernetics and Informatics (WMSCI 2024); 10-13 September 2024, Virtual Conference. N. Callaos, E. Gaile-Sarkane, N. Lace, B. Sánchez, M. Savoie (Eds.). The International Institute of Informatics and Cybernetics; Winter Garden (FL), USA. 2024, pp. 85-91. (link)

7. Gentili, P. L.; Stano, P. Empowering Chemical AI through Systems Chemistry. ChemSystemsChem 2024, 6, e202400054. (link)

8. Braccini, M., Baldini, P. and Roli, A. An investigation of graceful degradation in Boolean network robots subject to online adaptation. In Italian Workshop on Artificial Life and Evolutionary Computation (pp. 202-213), 2024a. Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland. (link)

9. Braccini, M., Baldini, P. and Roli, A. Cell-Cell Interactions: How Coupled Boolean Networks Tend to Criticality. Artificial Life 2024b, 31(1), 68-80. (link)

10. Braccini, M., Gardinazzi, Y., Roli, A. and Villani, M. Sensory–Motor Loop Adaptation in Boolean Network Robots. Sensors 2024c, 24(11), 3393. (link)

11. Rubin, S.; Stano, P.; Roli, A.; Damiano, L. Steps to Chemically Embodied Cognition. In: Artificial Life and Evolutionary Computation, 18th Italian Workshop, WIVACE 2024, Namur, Belgium, September 11–13, 2024, Revised Selected Papers; T. Carletti; T. S. Njougouo; E. Tuci (Eds.); Springer, Cham (CH). Communications in Computer and Information Science 2025, 2532, 84-97. (link)

12. Damiano, L. Understanding-by-Building Coexistence: Maturana and the Constructivist Roots of Human–Robot Coevolution. Constructivist Foundations 2025, 21, 22-24. (link)

13. Fleres, A.; Damiano, L. From AIBO to Robosphere. Organizational interdependencies in sustainable robotics. Frontiers in Robotics and AI 2025, 12, 1716801. (link)

14. Damiano, L.; Fleres, A.; Roli, A.; Stano, P. Wetware network-based AI: a chemical approach to embodied cognition for robotics and artificial intelligence. Frontiers in Robotics and AI 2026, 12, 1694338. (link)

15. Roli, A.; Stano, P.; Damiano, L. Affordances and constraints: a cybernetic interpretation. To be presented at AIRS 2026 - Ninth National Conference on Systems Science, Parma, Italy, 4-5 June, 2026. Proceedings will be published by Springer in 2026. Pre-print on Zenodo 2026, n. 19335244

16. Damiano, L.; Dumouchel, P. Beyond Strong Social Robotics: A Relational Perspective. Proceedings of HAR 2025, Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Springer, forthcoming in 2026. Pre-print on Zenodo 2026, n. 18500144

17. Damiano, L.; Fleres, A. Toward a Gaian Synthetic Approach Techno-Apoptosis as a Catalyst for Sustainable Robotics. Proceedings of WIVACE 2025, Siena, Italy, 03-03.09.2025, Communications in Computer and Information Science, Springer, forthcoming in 2026

18. Stano, P.; Damiano, L.; Rubin, S.; Roli, A. Chemical Synthetic Biology and the Sciences of the Artificial: Prospects for Chemical AI. Adaptive Behavior, submitted.

19. Stano, P., Roli, A.; Damiano, L. Brief Considerations about Meaning in Synthetic Biology Artefacts. SynBio, submitted.

20. Rubin, S.; Stano, P.; Roli, A.; Damiano, L. Genealogies of Organizational Closure: From Logical Paradox to Mind in Life. Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence, submitted.

21. Damiano, L.; Fleres, A. Systemic Synthetic Modeling: On a Gaian Reformulation. Cognitive Systems Research, submitted.

22. Damiano, L.; Fleres, A. When robots are abandoned. Post-discontinuation sustainability as an epistemological problem. International Journal of Social Robotics, submitted. Pre-print on Zenodo 2026, n. 18488737

23. Damiano, L.; Gerakinis, M.; Velonaki, M. Peri-Human Social Robotics Beyond Anthropomorphic Design. RoboPhilosophy 2026, submitted.

24. Damiano, L.; Gerakinis, M.; Mannocci, R.; Velonaki, M. Robot with us, not like us. AI & Society, submitted.

25. Stano, P.; Roli, A.; Damiano, L. The problem of meaning in AI and synthetic biology. In preparation.

26. Stano P.; Roli, A.; Damiano, L. Autonomy and minimal cognition in ‘synthetic cells’ applied research. In preparation.

27. Fleres, A.; Damiano, L.; Stano, P.; Roli, A.; Kuruma, Y.; et al. The SB-AI 10 Workshop. Self-Organization in Nano- and Electromechanical Robots: Towards the Robosphere. In preparation.

Special Issues

1. Gentili, P. L.; Jerzy Górecki, J.; Magri, D. C.; Stano, P. Recent Advances in Chemical Artificial Intelligence. MDPI Special Topic hosted by the following journals: Molecules, Biomimetics, Chemsensors, Life, AI, Sci. (link)

2. Gentili, P. L.; Adamatzsky, A.; Stano, P. Neuromorphic Engineering in wetware: achievements and perspectives. Frontiers Research Topic hosted by the following journals: Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, Frontiers in Chemistry, Frontiers in Neurorobotics, Frontiers in Physics, Frontiers in Robotics and AI. (link)

3. Braccini, M.; Roli, A.; Stano, P. Hypothesis-Driven Artificial Intelligence Approaches for Complex Systems Biology. MDPI Special Issue hosted by the journal: Systems. (link)

4. Minati, G.; Giuliani, A.; Roli, A. Theoretical Issues on Systems Science. MDPI Special Issue hosted by the journal: Systems. (link)

5. Minati, G.; Roli, A. Changes in Complex Adaptive Systems: The Role of External Influences. MDPI Special Issue hosted by the journal: Systems. (link)

6. Damiano, L.; Fleres, A.; Lehmann H. Carnevale L.; Marino R. Toward Sustainable Social Robotics. Ecological and Social Pathways for Responsible Socio-Technical Systems, Topical collection hosted by the journal: International Journal of Social Robotics. (link)

7. Damiano, L.; Fleres, A.; Stano, P.; Roli, A.; Yoshida, N.; Horibe, K.; Idei, H. Tentative title: “Understanding-by-building Life, Death, and their Entanglement”, to be submitted to Adaptive Behavior in the second half of 2026.

Scientific Exchanges

1. A Fleres carried out a scientific visit to the University of Tokyo from October 14 to 25, 2025, at the Laboratory of Robotics directed by Prof. Gentiane Venture.

2. A. Roli was a visiting researcher to IRIDIA (Institut de Recherches Interdisciplinaires et de Développements en Intelligence Artificielle), Université libre de Bruxelles (november/december 2024 and 2025).

Academic Orientation for High-School Students

1. 2023-10-24: P. Stano, "Cellule Sintetiche: dall'Origine della Vita alla Biologia Sintetica", talk at the Open Day 2023 Unisalento (CdL in Scienze Biologiche)

2. 2024-02-19: P. Stano, "Synthetic Cells and Chemical AI", talk at PCTO-DiSTeBA Unisalento (CdL in Scienze Biologiche)

3. 2024-02-21: P. Stano, "Synthetic Cells and Chemical AI", talk at PCTO-DiSTeBA Unisalento (CdL in Biotecnologie Mediche e Nanobiotecnologie)

4. 2024-02-22: P. Stano, "Sistemi chimici per la nanomedicina e cenni alla Chemical AI", talk for Orientamento Attivo Unisalento (Liceo Scientifico Statale Giulietta Banzi Bazoli, Lecce)

5. 2024-02-28: P. Stano, "Sistemi chimici per la nanomedicina e cenni alla Chemical AI", talk for Orientamento Attivo Unisalento (Istituto Tecnico Grazia Deledda, Lecce)

6. 2024-10-29: P. Stano, "Dall'Origine della Vita alla Biologia Sintetica", talk at the Open Day 2024 Unisalento, (CdL in Scienze Biologiche)

7. 2025-02-13: P. Stano, "Cellule sintetiche: dall'origine della vita alla biologia sintetica", talk at PCTO-DiSTeBA Unisalento (CdL in Biotecnologie)

8. 2025-10-03: P. Stano, "Cellule artificiali e intelligenza artificiale chimica per le biotecnologie", talk at Open Day 2025 Unisalento (CdL in Biotecnologie)

9. 2025-10-03: P. Stano, "Lo sguardo del chimico sui sistemi viventi: l'organizzazione autopoietica", talk at Open Day 2025 Unisalento (CdL in Chimica per la Sostenibilità)

10. 2025-10-27: A. Roli, "Nei panni di un robot", at Liceo scientifico "Enrico Fermi", Bologna.

11. 2026-01-09: A. Roli, "Nei panni di un robot", at Liceo "Niccolò Copernico", Bologna.

12. 2026-02-12: P. Stano, "Biologia sintetica e intelligenza artificiale "chimica": verso la costruzione di cellule artificiali" (CdL in Biotecnologie)

13. 2026-03-10: A. Roli, "Nei panni di un robot", at Liceo scientifico "Augusto Righi", Bologna.

Meetings

1. 2023-10-25: Project meeting

2. 2023-12-13: Kick-off meeting (Cesena)

3. 2024-01-31: Project meeting

4. 2024-03-07: Project meeting

5. 2024-04-08: Project meeting

6. 2024-05-23: Project meeting

7. 2024-05-28: Project meeting

8. 2024-07-02: Project meeting

9. 2024-08-02: Project meeting

10. 2024-09-25: Project meeting

11. 2024-10-07: Project meeting

12. 2024-10-28: Project meeting

13. 2024-11-29: Project meeting

14. 2024-12-07: Project meeting

15. 2024-12-16/17: Mid-term meeting (Milano)

16. 2025-02-17: Project meeting

17. 2025-03-14: Project meeting

18. 2025-04-08: Project meeting

19. 2025-04-14: Project meeting

20. 2025-05-09: Project meeting

21. 2025-06-06: Project meeting

22. 2025-07-11: Project meeting

23. 2025-12-15: Project meeting

24. 2026-02-20: Final meeting (Lecce)