BIP: Advancements and applications of wearable technology

Through hands-on projects, the course aims to explore real-world applications of wearable technology and telerobotics, emphasizing their innovative uses and impact.

Registration dates 15 October 2024 30 December 2024
Course dates 10 February 2025 21 February 2025
Registration is now closed
BIP: Advancements and applications of wearable technology

Course Outline

The course will provide a hands-on, project-based approach where students work with data, wearable devices, and robotic systems to design, implement, and test interactive applications. Students will collaborate in interdisciplinary groups of 4-5 to develop practical solutions that address real-world challenges. Each group will work on a specific application of wearable technology or telerobotics, tailored to healthcare, arts, or HRI.

Most tasks will be done in teams, encouraging students to collaborate across disciplines such as engineering, computer science, and design. Although collaboration is key, students are expected to take on individual roles within the group, such as data analysis or hardware assembly, ensuring each member contributes effectively.

Course Content

This course is designed to introduce students to the cutting-edge fields of wearable technology and telerobotics, with applications in healthcare (rehabilitation), the arts, and human-robot interaction (HRI). The content is structured to cover key theoretical concepts and practical applications, culminating in the development of functional prototypes by students.

Main topics addressed:
1. Wearable Technology and Remote Sensing: Integration of wearables and sensors for real-time data collection and monitoring across various fields.
2. Data Processing and Prototyping: Efficient data collection, processing, and system design to enhance wearable and remote sensing technologies.
3. Applications in Healthcare, Arts, and HRI: Wearable technology’s impact on healthcare, creative industries, and human-robot interaction, including digital twins and telerobotics.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will have gained both theoretical understanding and practical skills in the fields of wearable technology and telerobotics, specifically in their application to healthcare (rehabilitation), arts, and HRI. Upon completing this course, students will be able to:

  • Understand core concepts in wearable technology with a transdisciplinary approach
  • Design and develop wearable and remote sensing systems for specific application
  • Analyze and process data from wearables devices
  • Implement practical applications
  • Conduct user testing and evaluate system usability
  • Collaborate in inter- and trans-disciplinary teams

Mobility

Virtual mobility

During the first week, students will work remotely on the foundational aspects of the project, focusing on background research, theoretical issues, and prototype design. The goal is to prepare the groundwork for hands-on activities in Week 2.

Physical mobility

The physical mobility part will be running from 17th to 21th February 2025 in Genoa (IT). The seminar’s focus is developing and applying wearable technology and telerobotics, particularly in healthcare rehabilitation, arts, and HRI. Students will collaborate in interdisciplinary groups of 4-5 to develop practical solutions that address real-world challenges in these fields.

Agenda

Week 1

Monday, 10/2/2025

  • 9:15 – 9:30 Introduction and agenda by C. Flego & F. Mastrogiovanni
  • 9:30 – 11:00 Lecture #1 by Alessandra Sciutti
  • 11:00 – 11:15 Break
  • 11:15 – 13:00 Lecture #2. by Carmine Recchiuto
  • 13:00 – 14:00 Break
  • 14:00 – 17:00 Remote study & work

 

Tuesday, 11/2/2025

  • 9:15 – 11:00 Lecture #3 by Carmine Recchiuto
  • 11:00 – 11:15 Break
  • 11:15 – 13:00 Lecture #4 by Philipp Beckerle
  • 13:00 – 14:00 Break
  • 14:00 – 17:00 Remote study & work

 

Wednesday, 12/2/2025

  • 9:15  – 11:00 Lecture #5 by Giacinto Barresi
  • 11:00 – 11:15 Break
    11:15 – 13:00 Lecture #6 by Alessandro Carfì
  • 13:00 – 14:00 Break
  • 14:00 – 17:00 Remote study & work

 

Thursday, 13/2/2025

  • 9:15  – 11:00 Lecture #7 by F. Solari / M. Chessa
  • 11:00 – 11:15 Break
  • 11:15 – 13:00 Lecture #8 by
    S. Scagliusi / G. Huertas
  • 13:00 – 14:00 Break
  • 14:00 – 17:00 Remote study & work

Friday, 14/2/2025

  • 9:15  – 11:00 Presentation
  • 11:00 – 11:15 Break
  • 11:15 – 13:00 Presentation
  • 13:00 – 14:00 Break
  • 14:00 – 17:00 

 

Week 2

Monday, 17/2/2025

  • 9:30 – 11:00 Lecture #9 by M. Casadio / C. Pierella
  • 11:00 – 11:15 Break
  • 11:15 – 13:00 Workshop #1 by
    S. Macciò / M. Shabaan
  • 13:00 – 14:00 Break
  • 14:00 – 17:00 Challenges #1: Prototype

 

Tuesday, 18/2/2025

  • 9:30 – 11:00 Lecture #10 by Daniele Pucci
  • 11:00 – 11:15 Break
  • 11:15 – 13:00 Workshop #2 A. by Burlanti / V. Parodi
  • 13:00 – 14:00 Break
  • 14:00 – 17:00 Challenges
    #2: Evaluate

 

Wednesday, 19/2/2025

  • 9:30 – 11:00 Lecture #11 by Lucia Seminara
  • 11:00 – 11:15 Break
  • 11:15 – 13:00Workshop #3
    by Valerio Belcamino
  • 13:00 – 14:00 Break
  • 14:00 – 17:00 Challenges
    #3: Test

 

Thursday, 20/2/2025

  • 9:30 – 11:00 Lecture #12 by
    Richard Kitta
  • 11:00 – 11:15 Break
  • 11:15 – 13:00 Workshop #4 by
    Francesco Rea
  • 13:00 – 14:00 Break
  • 14:00 – 17:00 Challenges
    #4: Evaluate

Friday, 21/2/2025

  • 9:30 – 11:00 Pitch
  • 11:00 – 11:15 Break
  • 11:15 – 13:00 Pitch & Farewell
  • 13:00 – 14:00 Break
  • 14:00 – 17:00 Genoa Tour

Speakers & Lectures

Fulvio Mastrogiovanni is an Associate Professor at the University of Genoa (UniGe), Italy, and a Researcher affiliated with the Italian Institute of Technology. He got a Laurea Degree and a Ph.D. from UniGe in 2003 and 2008, respectively. Fulvio is a member of the Board of the Ph.D. School in Bioengineering and Robotics, as well as the National Ph.D. School in Robotics. He is co-PI in the joint lab between UniGe and WeBuild SpA on topics related to robotics for construction. Fulvio was Visiting Professor at institutions in America, Europe, and Asia. He served as Head of Program for the international MSc in Robotics Engineering (part of the Erasmus+ EMARO and JEMARO programs) at UniGe, and Deputy Rector for International Affairs. Fulvio organized many international scientific events (RO-MAN, IROS, ERF conference series), and journal special issues, and will serve as General Chair of IAS 2025. Fulvio teaches courses in cognitive architectures, human-robot interaction, and artificial intelligence for robotics. Fulvio participated in many national and international funded projects and cooperates with research centers worldwide. He is the founder of Teseo and IOSR, two spinoff companies from UniGe, and he is advisor of established companies and startups on artificial intelligence solutions. Fulvio received awards for his scientific and technology transfer activities, including the Italian Young Innovator Award in 2021. Fulvio published more than 190 contributions, including 5 international patents.

 

Monday, February 10th – h. 9:30 – 11:00

From Motion to Meaning: Embodied Communication in Human-Robot Interaction

This lecture explores the central role of non-verbal communication in advancing human-robot interaction (HRI). By examining the mechanisms underlying embodied communication we investigate how robots can interpret human intentions, emotions, and states by analyzing subtle cues in motion and behavior. The discussion emphasizes how wearable sensors and sensorized objects can help robots to infer contextual information, anticipate actions, and adapt autonomously to dynamic human needs. Integrating these capabilities into robotic cognition fosters intuitive, transparent interactions, paving the way for human-centric and adaptable robotic systems. Through examples, this lecture demonstrates how robots can serve as valuable tools to deepen our understanding of human social dynamics, bridging the gap between cognition and technology.

 

Alessandra Sciutti is Tenure Track Researcher and head of the CONTACT (COgNiTive Architecture for Collaborative Technologies) Unit of the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT). She received her B.S. and M.S. degrees in Bioengineering and her Ph.D. in Humanoid Technologies from the University of Genova in 2010. After two research periods in the USA and Japan, in 2018, she was awarded the ERC Starting Grant wHiSPER, focused on the investigation of joint perception between humans and robots. She has published more than 100 papers and abstracts in international journals and conferences, coordinates the ERC POC Project ARIEL (Assessing Children Manipulation and Exploration Skills), and has participated in the coordination of the CODEFROR European IRSES project. She is currently Chief Editor of the HRI Section of Frontiers in Robotics and AI and Associate Editor for several journals, including the International Journal of Social Robotics, the IEEE Transactions on Cognitive and Developmental Systems, and Cognitive System Research. She is an ELLIS scholar and the corresponding co-chair of the IEEE RAS Technical Committee for Cognitive Robotics.

Monday, February 10th – h. 11:15 – 13:00
Tuesday, February 11th – h. 9:15 – 11:00

Fundamentals of Software Programming for Robots

ROS is a robotic middleware that provides a collection of packages for common functionalities, including low-level control, hardware abstraction, and message passing. Due to its versatility, it has become a standard in robotics. This course will explore its most relevant features through practical examples, demonstrating how the ROS framework can assist in solving common robotics challenges. Additionally, the course will offer a general overview of ROS along with operational guidelines.

 

Carmine Recchiuto is Associate Professor at the University of Genoa. He has co-founded the RICE laboratory, which focus on social robotics and autonomous systems for disaster response. His research includes cultural competence in robot-human interaction, cognitive systems, and assistive robotics.

 

Tuesday, February 11th – h. 11:15 – 13:00

Human-centered design of autonomous robots/systems

The lecture will discuss what makes a robot or system autonomous and highlight challenges occurring when such systems get interacting with humans. It presents and discusses how biomechanical and psychological aspects can be considered in engineering design to improve functionality and user experience. Analyzing design methodology and human-in-the-loop approaches, emphasis is put on shaping human-robot interaction in an intuitive and safe fashion.

Philipp Beckerle is Dr.-Ing. in mechatronics from TU Darmstadt, Germany, in 2014 and his habilitation from TU Dortmund, Germany, in 2021. He is full professor and chair of Autonomous Systems and Mechatronics at FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg (www.asm.tf.fau.de) and was visiting researcher at Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Arizona State University, and University of Siena. His research interest is in human-centered mechatronics and robotics and his work was honored with various awards.

Wednesday, February 12th – h. 9:15 – 11:00

Cognitive Ergonomics and Neuroergonomics in Human-Technology Systems

This lecture will introduce and discuss how the investigation of human factors in terms of mental and neural processes can improve the design of human-technology systems, with special attention to scenarios involving robotic devices, physiological computing, and virtual and augmented settings for improving the user experience, well-being, and the overall system performance.

 

Giacinto Barresi is a Professor of Robotics (with background in cognitive ergonomics and neuroergonomics) at the Bristol Robotics Laboratory, School of Engineering, CATE, UWE Bristol (United Kingdom), where he employs his expertise in cognitive ergonomics and neuroergonomics to investigate and design human-robot systems.

Wednesday, February 12th – h. 11:15 – 13:00

Wearable Sensing and Machine Learning for Human Motion Perception in Human-Robot Interaction

 

Alessandro Carfì is a robotics researcher and assistant professor at the University of Genoa, specializing in artificial intelligence for human-robot interaction. He holds a PhD in Robotics Engineering and has extensive experience in AI-driven systems, wearable sensors, and mixed reality interfaces. His research integrates machine learning, and cognitive architectures to enhance robotic autonomy and human collaboration. Alessandro has participated in multiple funded projects, supervised MSc and PhD students, and contributed to international research initiatives in robotics and AI.

Thursday, February 13th – h. 9:15 – 11:00 

From Virtual Reality to eXtended Reality: principles of how to convey information in augmented environments (along with Fabio Solari)

We will introduce the main concepts of Virtual, Augmented and eXtended Reality (VR/AR/XR), focusing on the differences and analogies among the different techniques.
Specifically, we will analyze the main hardware and software features of the modern devices to convey virtual and augmented reality environments to a user: immersive and non-immersive VR, head-mounted displays, video see-trough and optical see-trough AR, ending with the most recent XR devices.
We will also discuss the main limitations of such devices, with respect to the features of our visual system, and the techniques to be adopted to mitigate such issue.
Finally, we will present several practical examples, with the aim of discussing the various possibilities offered by VR/AR and MR, also with respect to the possible future opportunities of the Metaverse.

Manuela Chessa is Associate Professor in Computer Science at University of Genoa, Italy, where she is Principal Investigator of the Perception&Interaction Lab@DIBRIS. She has a PhD in Bioengineering, and since 2005, her research activities have focused on the study of biological and artificial vision systems, the development of bioinspired models, natural human-machine interfaces based on virtual, augmented, and extended reality, and the perceptual and cognitive aspects of interaction in VR, AR, and XR. She is involved in several national and international research projects addressing the development and use of XR technologies in healthcare, rehabilitation, and training. She is teaching the CAIVARS and HealthXR Tutorials at IEEE ISMAR and IEEE VR.

Thursday, February 13th – h. 9:15 – 11:00 

From Virtual Reality to eXtended Reality: principles of how to convey information in augmented environments (along with Manuela Chessa)

We will introduce the main concepts of Virtual, Augmented and eXtended Reality (VR/AR/XR), focusing on the differences and analogies among the different techniques.
Specifically, we will analyze the main hardware and software features of the modern devices to convey virtual and augmented reality environments to a user: immersive and non-immersive VR, head-mounted displays, video see-trough and optical see-trough AR, ending with the most recent XR devices.
We will also discuss the main limitations of such devices, with respect to the features of our visual system, and the techniques to be adopted to mitigate such issue.
Finally, we will present several practical examples, with the aim of discussing the various possibilities offered by VR/AR and MR, also with respect to the possible future opportunities of the Metaverse.

 

Fabio Solari is associate professor with the Department of Informatics, Bioengineering, Robotics, and Systems Engineering, at the University of Genoa, Italy. His research interests include computational models of visual perception, the design of bio-inspired artificial vision algorithms, the study of perceptual effects of virtual and augmented reality systems, and the development of natural human-computer interactions in VR, AR, MR, and extended reality.

Thursday, February 13th – h. 11:15 – 13:00

From Sensors to Insights: A Wearable Data Processing Workflow for Real-Time Health Monitoring

Heart failure (HF) is a chronic condition affecting over 64 million people worldwide and is the leading cause of hospitalization in individuals over 65 years old. Early detection of fluid retention is critical for preventing decompensation and reducing hospital admissions. Wearable devices offer a promising solution by enabling continuous, real-time monitoring outside clinical settings. This lecture presents a comprehensive workflow for data acquisition, transmission, and visualization in wearable systems, using the development of a bioimpedance-based HF monitoring device as a case study. The system continuously measures bioimpedance in the calf—a key indicator of fluid retention—using a low-power embedded platform with the AD5941 chip. The raw impedance data undergoes preprocessing and calibration directly on the device before being transmitted via a Nordic microcontroller to an Android application. The mobile app serves as an intermediary, formatting and securely transmitting the data to a private server running InfluxDB for time-series storage. Finally, Grafana generates real-time dashboards, allowing physicians to monitor trends remotely and make timely clinical decisions.

Santiago F. Scagliusi is an electronic engineer and researcher at the University of Seville. His work focuses on wearable health technology, specifically bioimpedance monitoring for heart failure patients.

Restoring the Sense of Touch: Human-in-the-Loop Haptic Devices for Prosthetics

Restoring the sense of touch through artificial systems remains a fundamental challenge in prosthetics. This lecture focuses on human-in-the-loop haptic systems that integrate materials, signal processing, and sensory feedback mechanisms. We discuss the challenges of translating tactile sensor data into meaningful information for humans, using upper limb prosthetics as a case study.

 

Lucia Seminara holds a PhD in Physics from EPFL (CH), she is an Associate Professor of Electronic Engineering at UNIGE. She develops haptic systems to restore touch. Passionate about fostering intuitive communication between haptic devices and humans, she leads TACTA, uniting researchers and artists for transdisciplinary research on touch.

 

Challenge 1: TBA

Challenge 2: Sound-feedback in human-quadruped robot interaction

4E Studio is an interdisciplinary practice exploring the relationship between the human body and technology, led by Federica Sasso and Luca Pagan. Their work investigates the creation of new senses and perceptions, redefining human experience design through an innovative use of new technologies.

 

Challenge 2: Sound-feedback in human-quadruped robot interaction

An interdisciplinary practice exploring the relationship between the human body and technology, led by Federica Sasso and Luca Pagan. Their work investigates the creation of new senses and perceptions, redefining human experience design through an innovative use of new technologies.

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