September 2-4, 2026, Pisa, Italy
In conjunction with ACM 6th International Conference on Information Technology for Social Good (GoodIT26)
Robotics is evolving from isolated automation tools into intelligent systems embedded within human-centered digital ecosystems. Robots are increasingly deployed in healthcare, assisted living, education, agriculture, smart environments, and public spaces, that are contexts where their impact on safety, well-being, autonomy, and inclusion is direct and significant. Designing robotic systems that genuinely serve social good is therefore a fundamental requirement. This special track focuses on the human aspects of robot applications with a consistent focus: how can collaboration, augmentation, and AI-driven systems be designed, deployed, and governed so that they genuinely benefit individuals, communities, and society?
This special track focuses on the human aspects of robot applications, with particular attention to collaboration, augmentation, and AI-driven systems. The track aims to explore how robotics, AI, sensing technologies, and digital infrastructures can be designed and governed to support human agency, safety, inclusion, and well-being across domains. As robotic systems increasingly interact with people in consequential settings, the track gives equal attention to their societal impact on individuals, communities, and social structures, and to the technical advances that enable responsible deployment.
Augmentation technologies can support human activity by reducing repetitive or cognitively demanding tasks, mitigating physical strain, and improving safety, while preserving human oversight, responsibility, and decision-making authority. AI-driven monitoring, adaptive assistance, and digital twin technologies can enhance reliability, situational awareness, and responsiveness in complex and dynamic environments, while also contributing to more sustainable, energy-efficient, and cost-effective operations.
The track emphasises human-centred design and socio-technical integration, in line with the GoodIT vision of technologies serving the common good. Social and collaborative robots must interpret human intent, contextual cues, and, where appropriate, affective signals to enable safe, transparent, and trustworthy interaction. Effective human–robot collaboration requires advances in perception systems, sensor fusion, adaptive and explainable reasoning, and cognitive support tools that reduce overload, foster inclusion, and support informed and accountable decision-making across application domains. The special track also addresses broader dimensions of responsible deployment, such as data governance and privacy, risk management, and safety assessment frameworks.
Human–Robot Interaction (HRI) and collaborative robotics
Socially assistive robotics in healthcare, education, agriculture, and smart environments
AI-driven reasoning and smart collaborative robotics with human-centered objectives
Cognitive and adaptive robotic systems supporting user autonomy and inclusion
Digital Twins integrating physiological, spatial, and operational data
Advanced perception systems and sensor fusion for safe human–robot collaboration
Human-centered, inclusive, and participatory design of robotic systems
AI-driven training platforms, AR/VR-based upskilling, and immersive learning systems
Workforce adaptation and lifelong learning in robot-augmented environments
Explainable and trustworthy AI in embodied systems
Privacy and secure data synchronisation in robotic ecosystems
Regulatory and risk assessment frameworks for augmentation technologies
Sustainable, energy-efficient, and cost-effective robotic infrastructures
Societal implications of embodied AI: equity, accountability, and long-term impact
SPECIAL TRACK CHAIRS
Prof. Mariagrazia Fugini
Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering, Politecnico di Milano, Italy
Dr. Micol Spitale
Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering, Politecnico di Milano, Italy
Prof. Sara Comai
Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering, Politecnico di Milano, Italy
Dr. Fabrizio Amarilli
Dublin City University Business School, Dublin, Ireland
PROGRAM COMMITTEE
Coming soon
Paper Submission Deadline: May 17th, 2026
Paper Acceptance Notification: June 7th, 2026
Submitted papers must be original works and must not have been previously published. All papers must clearly outline the research question, methodology, results, and implications for social good. The papers should follow the new ACM format, called TAPS Workflow.
Paper length:
Main Track and Special Tracks Full Paper Submission should be a maximum of 9 pages. (ACM double column format).
Work-in-Progress papers should be a maximum of 4 pages. (ACM double column format).
Ph.D. track papers should be a maximum of 4 pages. (ACM double column format).
The indicated paper length includes references, tables, and figures. Documents with a length disproportionate to their contribution will be rejected. These submissions will undergo a single-blind peer review process involving three evaluations each. Accepted papers will be included in the ACM Digital Library. Each accepted paper must have at least one of its authors register for and physically present the work at the conference. Please consider that this is a condition to ensure the paper is included in the conference proceedings. There will not be possibilities to present online/remote. For additional details, please check the “Submission of Papers” web page.
By submitting your article to an ACM Publication, you are hereby acknowledging that you and your co-authors are subject to all ACM Publications Policies, including ACM's new Publications Policy on Research Involving Human Participants and Subjects. Alleged violations of this policy or any ACM Publications Policy will be investigated by ACM and may result in a full retraction of your paper, in addition to other potential penalties, as per ACM Publications Policy.
Please ensure that you and your co-authors obtain an ORCID ID, so you can complete the publishing process for your accepted paper. ACM has been involved in ORCID from the start and we have recently made a commitment to collect ORCID IDs from all of our published authors. We are committed to improve author discoverability, ensure proper attribution and contribute to ongoing community efforts around name normalisation; your ORCID ID will help in these efforts.
Starting January 1, 2026, ACM will fully transition to Open Access. All ACM publications, including those from ACM-sponsored conferences, will be 100% Open Access. Authors will have two primary options for publishing Open Access articles with ACM: the ACM Open institutional model or by paying Article Processing Charges (APCs). With over 2,600 institutions already part of ACM Open, the majority of ACM-sponsored conference papers will not require APCs from authors or conferences (currently, around 76%).
Authors from institutions not participating in ACM Open will need to pay an APC to publish their papers, unless they qualify for a financial waiver. To find out whether an APC applies to your article, please consult the list of participating institutions in ACM Open and review the Policy on APC Waivers for Financial Hardship. Keep in mind that waivers are rare and are granted based on specific criteria set by ACM.
Understanding that this change could present financial challenges, ACM has approved a temporary subsidy for 2026 to ease the transition and allow more time for institutions to join ACM Open. The subsidy will offer:
$250 APC for ACM/SIG members
$350 for non-members
This represents a 65% discount, funded directly by ACM. Authors are encouraged to help advocate for their institutions to join ACM Open during this transition period. This temporary subsidised pricing will apply to all conferences scheduled for 2026.