Francesca Cordella

Francesca Cordella is currently Associate Professor of Bioengineering at Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome (UCBM). She is a member of the Unit of Advanced Robotics and Human-centred Technologies (CREO Lab) of UCBM. She received the Laurea degree in Electronic Engineering and the Ph.D. in Computer and Automation Engineering both from the University of Naples Federico II. In 2011, she was visiting student at the Institut fur Robotik und Mechatronik, Deutsches Zentrum fur Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR). Until June 2013 she has been Assistant Researcher at the University of Naples Federico II. From 2013 to 2018 she was Assistant Researcher and from November 2018 to 2024 she was Assistant Professor both in the CREO Lab.

Her research interests are mainly in the field of biomechanics, biomedical robotics, rehabilitation and assistive robotics, bionics, bio-inspired robot control strategies, vision-based approaches for motion reconstruction and human-robot interaction, multimodal interfaces for assistive and collaborative robotics, psychophysiological assessment, limb prostheses, human-robot interaction, sensory feedback restoration, functional electrical stimulation, multimodal data collection and analysis.

She is member of the Technical and Scientific Program Committee and Associate Editor for several International Conferences, Workshops and Journals. She is Co-Chair of the IEEE/RAS Technical Committee on Rehabilitation and Assistive Robotics.

Since 2015 she is an expert and reviewer for the European Commission within H2020- ICT research program.

She was and is involved in the role of Co-Principal Investigator, Project Manager and scientific manager of Work Package for more than 25 European and national projects in her fields of interest. She has authored/coauthored 3 patents and more than 110 peer-reviewed publications appeared in international journals, books and conference proceedings.

EDUCATION AND TRAINING:

2008-2011: Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science and Automation Engineering, received by the University of Naples Federico II

2008: State certification in order to practice as an engineer

a.a. 2006-2007: Electronic Engineering degree at the University of Naples Federico II

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCES:

February 2025 - present: Associate Professor of Bioengineering at Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome (UCBM)

November 2021 - November 2024: Assistant Professor (RTDB) at UCBM, Research Unit of Advanced Robotics and Human-centred Technologies (CREO Lab)

November 2018 - November 2021: Assistant Professor (RTDA) at UCBM, CREO Lab

November 2013 - November 2018: Assistant Researcher at UCBM

2017: Expert Reviewer of European Projects Horizon H2020 for the European Commission in the framework of Personalised coaching for well-being and care of people as they age.

2015: Expert Reviewer of European Projects Horizon H2020 for the European Commission in the framework of ICT for active and healthy ageing.

October 2013: Collaboration contract for research activities with UCBM

2012 - 2013: Collaboration contract for research activities with the Department of Electric Engineering and Information Technologies of the University of Naples Federico II

January 2011- July 2011: Visiting student at the Institut fur Robotik und Mechatronik, Deutsches Zentrum fur Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR), Wessling, Germany.

March 2008 - September 2008: Collaboration contract with the Department of Computer Science and Automation of the University of Naples Federico II

MEMBER OF SCIENTIFIC SOCIETES:

From 2008 Francesca Cordella is member of the IEEE, of the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society, of the International Consortium On Rehabilitation Robotics (ICORR) and of the Società Italiana di Analisi del Movimento in Clinica (SIAMOC). She is founder member of the National Group of Bioengineering (GNB) and of the Istituto di Robotica e Macchine Intelligenti (I-RIM). She is Co-Chair of the IEEE/RAS Technical Committee on Rehabilitation and Assistive Robotics.

EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES:

2024 – 2026: Teacher of the course “Biomechanics” (3rd year, BSc in Biomedical Engineering, 9 CFU)

2020 – 2026: Teacher of the course “Bioengineering and Biomechanics of the human motion” (2nd year, MSc in Biomedical Engineering, 6 CFU)

2019 – 2026: Teacher of the course “Applied Biomechanics” (3rd year, BSc in Industrial Engineering, 6 CFU)

2018 – 2019: Teacher of the course “Laboratory of Bioengineering” (3rd year, BSc in Industrial Engineering, 6 CFU)

2014 – 2020: Teaching assistant for the course “Medical and Industrial Robotics” (1st year, MSc in Biomedical Engineering, 15 CFU)

AWARDS:

2017: Third place at the IEEE Robotics and Automation video contest - Italian Chapter with the video entitled ``Playing piano by demonstration". Authors: C. Lauretti, F. Cordella, D. Simonetti

2020: Winner of the Premio Qualità 2020, Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome with a project on the improvement in the field of quality and clinical risk. Authors: C. Tamantini, F. Scotto di Luzio, F. Cordella, G. Pascarella, F. Agró, L. Zollo

PATENTS:

C. Lauretti, F. Cordella, L.Zollo, P. Larizza, Apparato e metodo di controllo di un manipolatore robotico (Italian and PCT Patent Application) - N. 102020000001900, Date of submission: 31 January 2020

N.L. Tagliamonte, A. Ceccarelli, F. Taffoni, F. Cordella, L.Zollo, M. Lapresa, L. Nini, E. Gruppioni, K. Morellato, Metodo di progettazione e realizzazione di una protesi di mano personalizzata (Italian and PCT Patent Application) - N. 102023000008163, Date of submission: 26 April 2023.

A. Scarpelli, F. Cordella, L. Zollo, Sistema di Stimolazione Multimodale (Italian and PCT Patent Application), N. 102023000023424, Date of submission: 7 November 2023

JOURNAL PAPERS (LAST 2 YEARS)

– C. Tamantini, ...., F. Cordella, "Physiological Sensor Technologies in Workload Estimation: A Review", IEEE Sensors Journal, 2025

– R. Billardello, et al., "Estimating workers’ physical effort during isometric contractions through sEMG: the role of feature selection", ACM Transactions on Human-Robot Interaction, 2025

– A. Scarpelli, F. Cordella, L. Zollo, "Encoding algorithms for somatotopic restoration of somatic sensations in the upper-limb: a systematic review", Journal of Neural Engineering, 2025

– M. Sperduti, N.L. Tagliamonte, F. Cordella, L. Zollo, "Design of a testbed for mechanical and thermal stimulation in somatosensory studies", Scientific Reports, 2025

– C. Tamantini, et al., "SenseRisc: An instrumented smart shirt for risk prevention in the workplace", Wearable Technologies, 2025

– A. Demofonti, M. Germanotta, A. Zingaro, G. Bailo, S. Insalaco, F. Cordella, I.G. Aprile, L. Zollo, "Restoring Somatotopic Sensory Feedback in Lower Limb Amputees through Noninvasive Nerve Stimulation", Cyborg and Bionic Systems, 2025

– M.C. Caschera, P. Grifoni, F. Cordella, Editorial: Human-centered artificial intelligence in interaction processes, Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence, 2025

– M. Lapresa, et al., "Reproducing the caress gesture with an anthropomorphic robot: a feasibility study", Bioinspiration & Biomimetics, 2024

– C. Tamantini, F. Cordella, et al., "A fuzzy-logic approach for longitudinal assessment of patients’ psychophysiological state: an application to upper-limb orthopedic robot-aided rehabilitation", Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation 21 (1), 2024

– J. Follmann, J., C. Gentile, F. Cordella, L. Zollo, C.R. Rodrigues, "Touch and slippage detection in robotic hands with spiking neural networks", Engineering Applications of Artificial Intelligence, 136, 108953, 2024

– C. Tamantini, F. Cordella, et al., "A Data-Driven Fuzzy Logic Method for Psychophysiological Assessment: An Application to Exoskeleton-Assisted Walking," IEEE Transactions on Medical Robotics and Bionics, vol. 6, no. 2, pp. 695-705, 2024

– F. Mereu, F. Cordella, et al., "A Sensory Feedback Neural Stimulator Prototype for Both Implantable and Wearable Applications", Micromachines, 15, 480, 2024

– S. Ligioi, G. Loianno, F. Cordella, "Robust Upper Limb Kinematic Reconstruction Using a RGB-D Camera", IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters, 9(4), pp. 3831–3837, 2024

– A. Scarpelli, et al., "Eliciting Force and Slippage in Upper Limb Amputees Through Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS)", IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering, 32:3006-3017, 2024

– E. Stefanelli, M. Sperduti, F. Cordella, N.L. Tagliamonte, L. Zollo, "Performance Assessment of Thermal Sensors for Hand Prostheses" IEEE Sensors Journal, 24(17), pp. 27559–27569, 2024

– M. Lapresa, ..., F. Cordella, "A comprehensive analysis of task-specific hand kinematic, muscle and force synergies", Biocybernetics and Biomedical Engineering 44 (1), 218-230, 2024

– M. Lapresa, E. Guglielmelli, L. Zollo, F. Cordella, "A marker-based approach to determine the centers of rotation of finger joints", Computer Methods and Programs in Biomedicine, 108055, 2024

– M. Sguanci, et al., "Nursing-engineering interdisciplinary research: A synthesis of methodological approach to perform healthcare-technology integrated projects", MethodsX, 102525, 2024