Publications

Wearable exoskeletons hold promise for reducing the physical strain of healthcare workers, yet their emotional and experiential impact remains underexplored. This study, part of the Exo.Care program, investigated healthcare workers’ emotional responses and user experience during a 30-day trial of a passive exoskeleton in residential and home-care settings. Using the Geneva Emotion Wheel (GEW) and the User Experience Questionnaire (UEQ), results showed that initial interactions elicited predominantly positive emotions, such as interest and admiration, reflecting the novelty effect. After prolonged use, positive emotional intensity decreased, while fear and disappointment emerged, highlighting gaps between expectations and actual performance. UEQ results revealed usability challenges in efficiency, dependability, and stimulation, though novelty and attractiveness were positively rated. Findings underscore the importance of integrating emotional and ergonomic factors in exoskeleton design to enhance acceptability, facilitate adoption, and ensure these devices can be effectively incorporated into healthcare workflows.

Hospital communication and wayfinding are crucial challenges, especially in paediatric contexts where orienting oneself in space and managing emotions is particularly difficult. The complexity of hospital environments and the ineffectiveness of orientation systems can cause cognitive stress and difficulties understanding, negatively influencing healthcare quality and operational efficiency. An effective wayfinding system must communicate clear messages, making the hospital space interpretable and familiar, using scientific approaches integrated into the architecture. Technologies such as mobile apps can improve orientation and personalize assistance, but a thorough evaluation of the usability and effectiveness of these systems is necessary. This article addresses the challenges of hospital-paediatric wayfinding by presenting a new mobile app that combines navigation, booking and entertainment. The study, conducted at the Meyer Children’s Hospital in Florence, made it possible to define the requirements of a new orientation system for the medical day hospital, improving autonomous orientation and optimizing the user experience. The proposed solution developed thanks to the application of the Human-Centred Design and User Experience approach, aims to reduce stress and improve hospital efficiency, transforming the wayfinding experience into an interactive and engaging process for paediatric patients and their parents.

Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder characterised by motor and non-motor symptoms, which is expected to increase exponentially in the coming decades, with a negative impact on healthcare systems. The disease is chronic and leads to a progressive and gradual loss of independence, with a significant negative impact on the quality of life of the person affected and their family. The research proposal aims to improve the quality of life of people with Parkinson's and their carers through the creation of two virtual emotional scenarios designed to improve well-being, promote positive emotions and, potentially, reduce side effects and dependence on medication. This goal will be pursued using methodological sources and scientific principles found in the literature, which will be implemented through the use of human and technological resources in order to test new intervention scenarios.

The role of new technologies in promoting longevity is a complex and relevant issue. Gerontechnology, a field of research that combines the knowledge of gerontology with technological advances, is central to supporting ageing because it aims to improve prevention and care. Scientific literature and the latest data suggest that, in Italy, the difference in access to and use of technologies between the older and young populations is quite marked. In order to ensure that these technologies are acceptable, accessible and inclusive, it is crucial to know and consider the barriers (cognitive, physical and sensory limitations) that hinder their use by the older popu- lation. This paper explores how the Human-Centred Design approach, in particular the questionnaire, focus group, design workshop, and systematic literature review, facilitated the identification of such limitations and needs of the older population, using this information to develop design strategies for innovative and accessible gerontechnologies. Considering also Goal 3 of the 2030 Agenda, the challenge for the coming years is to design inclusive and win–win technologies to promote active and healthy ageing.

Key Enabling Technologies (KETs) promote innovation and competitiveness in various sectors. However, despite technological advances, many communities remain excluded from benefits due to economic, physical and social barriers. This exclusion is particularly evident among elderly, disabled and economically disadvantaged populations. Therefore, there is an urgent need for inclusive solutions that leverage KETs to fill these gaps. This paper explores how KETs can be integrated into service design to foster inclusive living communities. A series of exemplary case studies are presented, which illustrate the successful implementation of KETs in inclusive living environments. Finally, the advantages, drawbacks and consequences of these implementations are analysed with the aim of suggesting KETs-oriented service-based solutions designed to assist in the establishment of inclusive living communities, with the objective of fostering social inclusion and sustainable development.

In the paper, the authors describe the evaluation and design phases that led to the definition of a novel GUI (Graphic User Interface) designed for a medical device in biology laboratories, i.e. an analytical device for diagnostic investigations that use the serum agglutination technique on a microplate. In particular, some methods of the Human-Centred Design (HCD) approach were used, which made it possible to evaluate the existing state of the interface to be redesigned (phase 1), define the design requirements of the new GUI (phase 2), and finally evaluate the usability levels of the new interface thanks to a usability test session which involved 17 participants with specific training in the biological field (phase 3). The results highlighted the methodology’s effectiveness and possible replicability for other products and graphic interfaces to be used in the medical field and beyond. Furthermore, thanks to the methodological approach adopted, it was possible to identify the main criticalities of the end users, the areas of intervention, and the relevant present and future design solutions. Fundamentally, the project of medical devices implies the knowledge of human factors, which focus on the interaction between human beings and the system, as an element to minimize the risks of use and ensure a safer and usable medical device.