Papers by Annapaola Vacanti
The paper intends to apply the emerging theories on network science to the production chain of co... more The paper intends to apply the emerging theories on network science to the production chain of contemporary society, hyper-globalized and hyperconnected, to provide an alternative point of view aimed at the multilevel development of a given territory/context. The subject of discussion will be the Fab Labs, specifically those belonging to the Fab Charter, framing them not only as places of digital fabrication, experimentation and research, but, above all, as nodes of a network that in recent years has expanded to connect realities geographically very far from each other. With the analysis of case-studies we will investigate the dimension and importance of planning and designing these systemic processes to lead to the onset of an organizational culture oriented to 'sensemaking' and with the aim of optimizing collaborative processes of the Fab Lab network, demonstrating the social value of 'glocal' production.
Il contributo descrive in forma di data visualization i percorsi, le scelte formative e gli esiti... more Il contributo descrive in forma di data visualization i percorsi, le scelte formative e gli esiti lavorativi di diverse migliaia di studenti dell'Universit\ue0 di Genova nell'arco temporale che va dal 1990 al 2016. Si fonda sull'interconnessione e l'analisi di amplissime raccolte di dati (UniGe, AlmaLaurea, ISTAT) e costituisce uno strumento di sintesi a supporto delle attivit\ue0 di orientamento degli studenti e di programmazione dell'offerta formativa da parte delle universit\ue0. Il contributo esprime in forma sintetica la ricerca interdisciplinare design - data science, che mediante complexity design, data analysis e data visualization, ha promosso l'utilizzo dei dati a supporto delle attivit\ue0 decisionali individuali e collettive legate all'ambito accademico. Costituisce quindi un esempio primo di strumento proprio della data driven society, a servizio del redesign di processi tradizionali su base oggettiva. I risultati dell'intera ricerca impattano profondamente sulla societ\ue0, agendo su due fronti complementari. Da un lato, supportano i singoli attori/studenti nel loro processo di autodefinizione, cuore dell'idea stessa di Accademia. Dall'altro, forniscono ai decisori dell'accademia - per la prima volta in forma intellegibile - gli strumenti necessari ad anticipare, comprendere e verificare l'esito finale delle scelte di costruzione dei percorsi formativi. Il contributo \ue8 uno dei prodotti di una ricerca finanziata dall'Universit\ue0 di Genova - Importo finanziamento: 150.000 euro
TECHNE - Journal of Technology for Architecture and Environment
The paper describes the development of Living Hub: a laboratory for research, experimentation and... more The paper describes the development of Living Hub: a laboratory for research, experimentation and training based on the Living Lab model, integrated with the use of the Simulation technique, to optimise the study of the interaction between people, environments, and technology. The lab aims to support the design of capacitating technologies and responsive environments that can adapt to the needs of their users, with reference to the home context. Located in Liguria, a region with the highest rate of ageing in the world, Living Hub focuses experimentation on innovative models for the care of the frail through different levels of scalar/modular integration of enabling technologies in the built environment.
Human Interaction and Emerging Technologies (IHIET-AI 2023): Artificial Intelligence and Future Applications
Objectives:The presented work arises in the context of designing for individuals with visual impa... more Objectives:The presented work arises in the context of designing for individuals with visual impairment, specifically we refer to a target group of children from two to seven years of age. The study was conducted with the contribution of the XXX research group within the XXX project funded by the European Community (2020-2023), with the aim of creating a specific curriculum for training the profession of a visual rehabilitator for children. In this perspective, the paper shows a practical case study carried out through the simulation technique at XXX.The approach that would be applied to this course is innovative, as it involves the immersive and experiential participation of students and the adoption of the most advanced training technologies in the field of simulation.In order to proceed with the implementation of the experiment, the contribution of multiple figures, such as expert designers, doctors, ophthalmologists, psychologists, and visual rehabilitators, was planned, creatin...
Agathòn, 2023
Il paper esplora alcuni problemi legati a metodi dello Human-Centred Design (HCD), quali le Perso... more Il paper esplora alcuni problemi legati a metodi dello Human-Centred Design (HCD), quali le Personas, attraverso cui i progettisti rischiano di produrre rappresentazioni distorte e stereotipate degli utenti. Tali modelli archetipici di 'umano' vengono messi in discussione a favore di un approccio basato sull'elaborazione dei dati, che risponde meglio alla necessità di progetti contestualizzati nella società iperconnessa. Il valore fondante di tale approccio risiede nella capacità di adattamento, basata su algoritmi in grado di adeguare il prodotto all'attività di ogni singolo utente. Queste considerazioni portano a bilanciare i grandi benefici riconosciuti ai metodi di progettazione HCD e la dovuta cautela verso l'introduzione di nuovi strumenti ancora in validazione. L'integrazione dei metodi HCD consolidati con le nuove possibilità offerte dalla datafication origina un processo di progettazione che integra i due aspetti.
The paper deals with some problems linked to Human-Centred Design (HCD) methods, namely Personas, that may mislead the designers to create distorted and stereotypical representations of users. These archetypal models of 'human' are questioned in favour of a data processing approach, that better responds to the needs of the projects contextualised in our hyperconnected society. The core value of this approach is the ability to adapt, based on algorithms capable of matching the product to the activity of each user. These considerations aim to balance the important benefits of the HCD design methods with necessary caution on the introduction of new tools still in verification. The integration of the well-established HCD methods with the new possibilities given by datafication originates a design process integrating the two aspects.
Lecture notes in electrical engineering, 2022
Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing, 2021
The research provides a design-driven overview of the fifty main humanoid robots which have been ... more The research provides a design-driven overview of the fifty main humanoid robots which have been used over the last years in the revolutionary robotics field. The study provides a comparison of the principal aesthetic and interaction features in relation to what kind of environment and users each humanoid robot was designed for.
The project hereby presented illustrates the case study of a participated parametric design works... more The project hereby presented illustrates the case study of a participated parametric design workshop, where the object is a hacked version of Poppy, an open source 3D printable humanoid robot developed by Matthieu Lapeyre. Poppy is used by a large community of researches whose focus is mainly on engineering and IT aspects of the platform development. Our activity, held in a larger dissemination event, was aimed instead at collecting data regarding users\u2019 perception of a companion robot, caregiver robot or evil robot. Our goal is to define aesthetic principles that influence users\u2019 appreciation and affection towards a humanoid robot. A parametric definition developed with Grasshopper 3D, easily editable thanks to a simple and intuitive interface, was used as a tool to involve users in a co-design activity which results are analyzed and presented in the following contribution
La proposta introduce il progetto di una piattaforma come risorsa necessaria alla ricerca per pot... more La proposta introduce il progetto di una piattaforma come risorsa necessaria alla ricerca per potersi propagare e contaminare con altri saperi in maniera pi\uf9 efficace. Come un motore di ricerca la piattaforma \ue8 anche un database per cercare tematiche ricorrenti e monitorare trend e tendenze future. Impollina(c)tion \ue8 concepita come uno strumento propagatore e dinamico, costantemente aggiornato dagli utenti, che divengono attivatori di nuove relazioni e scambi di informazioni tra soggetti interni al mondo accademico, ma anche in relazione con le istituzioni e i diversi soggetti attivi nel mondo del lavoro. Il contributo viene presentato tramite un\u2019evoluzione per fase propedeutiche della messa a regime della piattaforma, con l\u2019evidenziazione per ogni step dei dati in entrata -input- da caricare sul sistema e gli output generati dal processo. Tutto il progetto \ue8 alimentato non solo da dati, ma da una comunit\ue0 che cresce e attiva contatti online per poi metterli...
Publica, 2019
IMG2019 -GRÀFICHE/-GRAPHICS
Concept Italy is the Country of diversity. Being the Country with the greatest biodiversity in th... more Concept Italy is the Country of diversity. Being the Country with the greatest biodiversity in the World, and having many and diverse expressions in the Arts developed over the centuries, are two basic factors that show what we can offer. Art has always been accompanied by artisan knowledge, which has been and still is our main economic resource. On the other hand, Italians have always known how to use what Nature offered, shaping the territory and acquiring unique agricultural skills, which produce excellent products. Our project works on how to enhance this incredible heritage and how to literally offer it to the public. We wanted to conceive an open, free space, but one that involves the visitor in a complete experience. We did it by respecting as much as possible the historical site in which Italian Tradition Market is inserted and also by adding a coordinated system of elements that together constitute the furnitures and the articulation of the spaces. Flow system The core of the project is the ancient theatre, and the main circulation runs around the central area in all the floors. All the other spaces and functions are distribute starting from this main path. The market area is distributed on all the floors, and is designed to be a flexible and free spaces, where the activities can change during the day. While the daily market is open all this areas are addressed to be the place of the direct selling of local market products and personal and traditional interaction with local producers. During the night the space is think to be a place for appreciating the local food and products, while sharing and interacting with friend and people, as the italian tradition teaches. Inner front The market is traditionally the place of the sharing and interacting. It is historically a common place for meeting people, and open or covered square. This thinking where a starting point of all the project. The central area, around the ancient theatre, is the core of the market, and all the life ad activities runs around it. For this reasons the internal no-stop image of the prospect is important to understand this continuity of spaces and activities. The project presented is a covered square, which is able to contain traditional and future ways of living and sharing
Intelligent Human Systems Integration (IHSI 2022) Integrating People and Intelligent Systems
SiRobotics is a European-funded project that involves 17 partners among companies and universitie... more SiRobotics is a European-funded project that involves 17 partners among companies and universities, which worked together to design and develop novel solutions of collaborative assistive ICT robotics with advanced capabilities to support caregivers, users and families in healthcare services, while acting with a socially acceptable behavior. The aim of the project is to support weak users in their daily activities, whether they live in home environments or elder care facilities; assessing the progress of their physical and cognitive decline, i.e. cognitive frailty, dementia, mild cognitive impairment, etc., will enable early diagnosis, objective assessment, therapy control and rehabilitation. Si-Robotics system will be used within the context of elder care facilities or home environments, characterized by the presence of frail people requiring gentle and dedicated attention and interaction, assisted by professional and/or in-formal caregivers and medical operators, working with very ...
The paper aims to analyze the deep relationship occurring between small proactive communities wit... more The paper aims to analyze the deep relationship occurring between small proactive communities within urban areas and innovative and collaborative means of production. A categorization is finally given to define different types of products that, by being related to the territory’s unique identity, get to be defined as markers, bringers of value.
For a human user it is fundamental to recognize the synthetic emotion being presented as feedback... more For a human user it is fundamental to recognize the synthetic emotion being presented as feedback on a robotic head, that can appear spontaneous or activated in reaction to the user’s action or request. The design of such feedbacks can greatly lower the learning curve of users who need to interact with automated systems, reducing the time and effort that they need to put into learning how to use the system. The paper will present our findings regarding the design of facial expressions and empathic aspects of a robotic head and the resulting interface that will be implemented on the robotic system that is being developed for the European-funded Si-Robotics project.
The research provides a design-driven overview of the fifty main humanoid robots which have been ... more The research provides a design-driven overview of the fifty main humanoid robots which have been used over the last years in the revolutionary robotics field. The study provides a comparison of the principal aesthetic and interaction features in relation to what kind of environment and users each humanoid robot was designed for.
Human Systems Engineering and Design III
Human Systems Engineering and Design III
Advances in Human Factors in Robots, Unmanned Systems and Cybersecurity
The rapid technological growth that we are facing has highlighted issues about human-computer int... more The rapid technological growth that we are facing has highlighted issues about human-computer interaction, specifically with reference to the scope of robotics; this kind of dynamics open up new challenges for UX designers. We refer specifically to the category of social robots, which is a growing sector in the market of humanoid robots. Social robots must provide a good level of interaction with human beings, who interlace complex and deep relationship with them; they are able to learn from the environment in which they are located as from the interactions with users and to develop some sort of decision-making autonomy. Designing a social humanoid robot is not just the development of a consumer product as a household appliance and is not just the engineering of a body to a vocal assistance, but it also requires taking into account the psychological impact of the robot and evaluating social dynamics. Therefore, it is fundamental to place the individual at the center of the design process in order to study an acceptable user experience. Co-design methodologies are now considered an essential practice, especially in technological projects, due to the fact that a high-tech product, system or service is most likely capable to actively interact with users for which is intended. Designing an interactive and funny co-design experience is fundamental in order to positively engage users and get valuable data and insight about their perspective on the project that is being developed. Reflecting on the main themes and issues that must be taken into consideration in the design of a social robot based on UCD principles, the paper aims to propose new challenges and approaches for co-design activities for the robotic project, taking advantage of digital platforms and innovative IT solutions.
Advances in Human Factors in Robots, Unmanned Systems and Cybersecurity
The research provides a design-driven overview of the fifty main humanoid robots that have made t... more The research provides a design-driven overview of the fifty main humanoid robots that have made their appearance in science fiction movies from 1915 to 2018. The study provides a comparison of the principal aesthetic and interaction features in relation to what kind of character was performed and in what kind of movie it appears. As a result, the research defines a user-centered taxonomy of humanoid robotics and provides a graphical display of the data about the aesthetic and interaction features of the analyzed robots.
The paper intends to apply the emerging theories on network science to the production chain of co... more The paper intends to apply the emerging theories on network science to the production chain of contemporary society, hyper-globalized and hyperconnected, to provide an alternative point of view aimed at the multilevel development of a given territory/context. The subject of discussion will be the Fab Labs, specifically those belonging to the Fab Charter, framing them not only as places of digital fabrication, experimentation and research, but, above all, as nodes of a network that in recent years has expanded to connect realities geographically very far from each other. With the analysis of case-studies we will investigate the dimension and importance of planning and designing these systemic processes to lead to the onset of an organizational culture oriented to ‘sensemaking’ and with the aim of optimizing collaborative processes of the Fab Lab network, demonstrating the social value of ‘glocal’ production.
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Papers by Annapaola Vacanti
The paper deals with some problems linked to Human-Centred Design (HCD) methods, namely Personas, that may mislead the designers to create distorted and stereotypical representations of users. These archetypal models of 'human' are questioned in favour of a data processing approach, that better responds to the needs of the projects contextualised in our hyperconnected society. The core value of this approach is the ability to adapt, based on algorithms capable of matching the product to the activity of each user. These considerations aim to balance the important benefits of the HCD design methods with necessary caution on the introduction of new tools still in verification. The integration of the well-established HCD methods with the new possibilities given by datafication originates a design process integrating the two aspects.
The paper deals with some problems linked to Human-Centred Design (HCD) methods, namely Personas, that may mislead the designers to create distorted and stereotypical representations of users. These archetypal models of 'human' are questioned in favour of a data processing approach, that better responds to the needs of the projects contextualised in our hyperconnected society. The core value of this approach is the ability to adapt, based on algorithms capable of matching the product to the activity of each user. These considerations aim to balance the important benefits of the HCD design methods with necessary caution on the introduction of new tools still in verification. The integration of the well-established HCD methods with the new possibilities given by datafication originates a design process integrating the two aspects.