Eleonora Zedda

About

I received my BA in Communication Science at the Unversity of Cagliari and MA in Digital Humanities from the University of Pisa. Now I am a PhD Student in Computer Science here in Pisa. My research interests lie in the domain of Human-Robot Interaction, in particular on socially assistive robotics for cognitive training with older adults with cognitive impairments.

Curriculum Vitae

Education

PhD in Computer Science

2019 - Present

University of Pisa, ISTI-CNR

Master Degree in Digital Humanities

2015 - 2018

University of Pisa, PI

Bachelor Degree in Comunication Science

2012 - 2015

University of Cagliari, CA

Professional Experience

Teaching Assistant

a.y. 2020-21
a.y. 2021-22

University of Pisa

  • Course: Progettazione e programmazione web. BSc in Digital Humanities

Research Associate

02/2020--16/12/2022

HIIS-ISTI-CNR,Pisa

  • Research activities related to studying and developing adaptive behaviour using Reinforcement Learning in a social robot for cognitive stimulation through serious game development in a humanoid robot Pepper within the Human Interfaces in Information Systems (HIIS) Laboratory.
  • Other activities: support of three three-year thesis students respectively, two from computer science and one from computer engineering, for the realization of Android applications: in particular, help in the development of a serious game for a humanoid robot; support in the development serious game based on personal memories (SERENI project) and for development of an application for the 'identification and classification of emotions starting from physiological data using machine learning. Realization of the SERENI project web page.

Graduate Research Fellow

15/11/2018--31/10/2019

HIIS-ISTI-CNR,Pisa

  • AAL Project Petal and the Music Quiz Game project. The main activity undertaken in the AAL Project Petal is the development and implementation of an IoT application. The aim is to provide some useful services for monitoring the activities done by the older adults at home. The data shown in this application are obtained using different sensors: Philips Hue Lights, Great Luminaire, smartwatch Kobwa Lemfo LEM7, Philips sensors (motion, ambient light, temperature, humidity), estimate beacon, Minew sensors (doors and window sensors).
  • Human-Robot Interaction (HRI) the Music Quiz Game project.The researcher provides research materials about the topics of human-robot interaction and socially assistive robots and developed a primordial idea for the game. The researcher analyzed the state of the art of this field and started to implement scripts that modulate the behavior of the robot (es. movements, show emotions, modify animations). The programming language used was mainly Python combined with the software Choregraphe

Intership

09/2017--12/2017

HIIS-ISTI-CNR,Pisa

  • Study of the state of the art of persuasive technologies.
  • Study of the state of the art of using lights as a persuasion strategy, for improve the experience of an elderly person inside the home.
  • Identify persuasive strategies within a personalization environment for interactive applications.

Publications

  • Manca, M., Paterno, F., Santoro, C., Zedda, E., Braschi, C., Franco, R., & Sale, A. (2021). The impact of serious games with humanoid robots on mild cognitive impairment older adults. International Journal of Human-Computer Studies, 145, 102509.
  • Zedda, E. Robot personality for cognitive training. CHItaly 2021 Joint Proceedings of Interactive Experiences and Doctoral Consortium, July 11 13, 2021, Bolzano, Italy
  • Zedda, E., Manca, M., Paterno, F. A Cooking Game for Cognitive Training of Older Adults Interacting with a Humanoid Robot. International Conference on Computer-Human Interaction Research and Applications.
  • Zedda, E. (2020, March). Designing Adaptive Behavior in a Social Robot. In Proceedings of the 25th International Conference on Intelligent User Interfaces Companion (pp. 23-24).
  • Manca, M., Paterno, F., Santoro, C., & Zedda, E. (2020). Adaptation in Humanoid Robots Serious Games for Mild Cognitive Impairment Older Adults.
  • Manca, M., Parvin, P., Paterno, F., Santoro, C., & Zedda, E. (2019). A Personalisation Platform for older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairments. Digital Health, 39.
  • Eleonora Zedda (University of Pisa and ISTI-CNR ), Marco Manca and Fabio Paterno (ISTI-CNR).Play with me! A Serious Game for Cognitive Stimulation of Older Adults with a Humanoid Robot ERCIM News 130 July 2022 Special theme: Assistive Technologies for a More Accessible and Inclusive Society
  • E.Zedda, M.Manca, F.Paterno. (2022) Towards Adaptation of Humanoid Robot Behavior in Serious Game Scenarios using Reinforcement Learning. the 2nd ALTRUIST Workshop on SociAL roboTs for peRsonalized, continUous and adaptIve aSsisTance. ICSR 2022 Florence
  • Contact me

    Location:

    ISTI-CNR ,Via Giuseppe Moruzzi, 1, 56127 Pisa Italy

    Department of Computer Science,Largo B. Pontecorvo 3, 56127 Pisa, Italy

    Rooms-Phone:

    ISTI-CNR: I-98, +39 050 6212602