Hi, I'm Mariacarla Staffa 

Mariacarla Staffa (F) is an Associate Professor in Human-Computer/Robot Interaction, Artificial Intelligence and Cognitive Robotics at the Department of Science and Technologies of the University of Naples Parthenope, Italy.  Her research focuses on developing the principles, techniques, and technologies for personal social and assistive robots that are able to show a socially intelligence, to interact and to communicate both physically and emotionally with people in human-centric approach. She aims at investigating how the human brain reacts to embodied artificial intelligence. She authored several works on Social Assistive Robots, Adaptive Human Robot Interaction, Human Behavior and Emotion interpretation, etc.

She received the M.Sc. degree in Computer Science from the University Federico II with honors, in 2008. She got a Ph.D. in Computer Science and Automation Engineering from the University Federico II in 2011. She was a visiting researcher at the “Institute de Système Intelligentes et de Robotique'' at the University of Paris “Pierre et Marie Curie”. She is a senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and of the EUCognition - European Society for Cognitive Systems (ID: 2037).  She is member of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM). She is also part of the IEEE RAS Technical Committee for Cognitive Robotics. She serves as Expert Reviewer for the European Commission Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (Area: AI and Robotics).

She worked at the PRISCA (Projects of intelligent robotics and advanced cognitive systems) Laboratory, making research in the fields of Cognitive Robotics, Artificial Intelligence and Social and Assistive Robotics, and at the QUASAR (Quantum Computing and Smart System) Laboratory, where she collaborated with experts of machine learning, quantum computing and smart systems. Additionally, she is member of the ICAROS center (Interdepartmental Center for Advances in Robotic Surgery) of the University of Naples Federico II, aiming at creating synergies between clinical and surgical practice and research on new technologies for computer/robot assisted surgery. 

She is currently the Coordinator of the BRAIN Laboratory (the “Bioinspired Robotics and Artificial intelligence Networking Lab” of the University of Naples Parthenope) interested in exploring computational neuroscience and cognitive and bioinspired robotics to generate innovative strategies and solutions for scientific problems and technological limitations in social, educational and assistive scenarios. She authored several works on Social Assistive Robots, Adaptive Human Robot Interaction, Human Behavior and Emotion interpretation, etc. 

She is the Principal Scientific Coordinator of the RESTART Project (Robot Enhanced Social abilities based on Theory of mind for Acceptance of Robot in assistive Treatments) and Unit Scientifc Coordinator of the SPECTRA Project (Supporting schizophrenia PatiEnts’ Care wiTh Robotics and Artificial Intelligence) both funded by the Italian Ministry of University and Research. 

She is the General Chair of the International Conference on Social Robotics (https://icsr2025.eu). She's been recently awarded by the title of Cultural ambassador of Naples. 

She is also the co-founder of Commigo, an innovative startup that develops intelligent immersive professional services and solutions to support collaboration, situational learning and empowerment of people with disabilities. 

recorded talks and demos