Thematic Areas

We invite submissions in the following domains:

• Social cognition models and their implementation for human-robot interaction: neuro-robotics and artificial neural networks; theory of mind and simulation theory; narrative-practice hypothesis; enactive theory, interaction theory, and participatory sense-making; mirror neurons and embodied simulation; artificial consciousness and awareness; the frame problem, sensitivity to context, and social decision making.

• Psychological aspects of human-robot interaction: anthropomorphism; mind perception, communication, emotion, trust, technology acceptance           

• Non-verbal communication and embodied/enactive models of the mind: applications of the embodied/enactive/interactive theory to developmental, evolutionary, and situated robotics; implementation of embodied communication through gaze, touch, gesture.

• Robots in education, tourism, and the entertainment industry: narrative practices; teaching methodologies; learning through interaction; gamification; imagination, creativity, and procedural art; skill acquisition and exercise; machine learning.

• Robots in healthcare and assistive technologies: robot therapy for mental and physical health, autism; tele-presence; sensors and diagnostic software; domotics, lifestyle.

• Robot ethics and machine ethics: algorithmic solutions to moral dilemmas; autonomous agents and responsibility; formalization of codes of conduct; moral and legal obligations towards artificial companions; public policy, self-regulation of the developers, and good practices, trust and close relationships with social robots

• The social impact of robotics: future trends in the job market and technological unemployment; trust; expertise and automation; public policy and autonomous agents; AI in public administration and e-finance; robots, smart cities, and the Internet of things.