Robotics Lab - Innovation in social and service robotics
Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Center has established the Robotics Lab to address the challenges of social and service robotics in various fields, including smart cities, artistic heritage preservation, precision agriculture, and environmental monitoring. The Robotics Lab is one of three scientific research laboratories in Italy of Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Center.
Main areas
HR, Education & Inclusion and Art
Research on the use of humanoid robotics in human interaction, particularly in support of the educational activities of individuals with cognitive impairment or autism spectrum disorders
Health & Safety and Wellbeing
Development of robotic systems equipped with specific sensors and devices to perform predefined tasks in different environments due to their mapping, localization and navigation capabilities
Marketing & Communication
Development of interaction activities with humanoid robots for the purpose of promoting events or to convey information content
Climate & Biodiversity
Application of service robotics for environmental data collection of complex ecosystems, such as parks or agricultural fields, for biodiversity protection
Robotics Lab activities and collaborations
The lab conducts applied research in collaboration with universities, polytechnics, and research institutes and adopts an Open Innovation model that enables the generation of new technological assets to be industrialized in support of business. Its main activities are oriented towards:
create content and define scenarios
implement software to have robots perform tasks autonomously or semi-autonomously, interacting with humans
produce scientific publications attesting to the innovativeness of the work performed
What is robotics and in what areas is the work of the Robotics Lab
Robotics is a discipline that studies, designs and builds robots - automated machines capable of performing specific tasks autonomously or semi-autonomously. Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Center's Robotics Lab focuses on innovative solutions in the fields of social and service robotics, contributing through technological innovation to a more sustainable and inclusive future.
What is social robotics?
Social robotics concerns the interaction between robots and humans, with the goal of creating machines that can communicate and interact in a natural and socially acceptable way. This approach is used to support people with neurodegenerative diseases or disorders such as autism, improving quality of life and facilitating social interaction.
Since 2019, the Robotics Lab has been experimenting with the use of social robots to support educational therapies for people with autism spectrum disorders and cognitive impairment. These research projects aim to improve therapy for autism through the use of robots that assist caregivers in rehabilitation work, promoting the acquisition and maintenance of functional skills and social competence.
What is service robotics?
Service robotics focuses instead on robots that provide useful services to humans, such as indoor sanitation and environmental monitoring. The solutions developed by the Robotics Lab are reusable in different areas, improving the efficiency and effectiveness of operations.
Success Stories of Robotics Lab
Sugar, Salt & Pepper - Humanoid robots for autism
This project uses the robot Pepper as an active assistant for children and youth with disabilities, improving interaction and autonomy skills through daily activities such as snack preparation. The robot has become a motivating and adaptive tool, contributing to socialization and management of daily life.
ToM and Pepper Lab - Robotics for Cognitive Stimulation and Social Skills
This project focuses on the effectiveness of Social Assistive Robotics (SARs) in treating neurodevelopmental disorders and cognitive impairment in its early stages. Using humanoid social robots, the project aims to improve individual and community well-being by providing flexible and motivating therapeutic tools.
Service Robotics for Sanitization
The case study focuses on the development of service robots for indoor sanitization using air and surface sanitization systems. These robots, equipped with specific sensors, move autonomously and activate in the absence of human presence, ensuring effective and safe sanitization. The project aims to develop and test the prototype in controlled situations, evaluating the quality and effectiveness of sanitization.
