Tag: naples

Posted on

Robotic Small Talk

The paper “Small Talk with a Robot Reduces Stress and Improves Mood” by Katharina Kühne, Antonia L. Z. Klöffel, Oliver Bendel, and Martin H. Fischer has been accepted for presentation at the ICSR 2025, which will take place in Naples from September 10 to 12, 2025. Previous research has shown that social support reduces stress and improves mood. This study tested whether small talk with a social robot could be helpful. After performing a stressful task, 98 participants either chatted with a NAO robot, listened to the robot tell a neutral story, or did not interact with the robot. Both robot interactions reduced stress, particularly small talk, which also boosted positive mood. The effects were stronger in those with high acute stress. Positive affect played a key role in stress reduction, suggesting that robot-mediated small talk may be a useful tool for providing emotional support. Dr. Katharina Kühne and Prof. Dr. Martin H. Fischer are researchers at the University of Potsdam. Antonia L. Z. Klöffel assists Katharina Kühne as a junior scientist. Martin Fischer is the head of the Potsdam Embodied Cognition Group (PECoG). Prof. Dr. Oliver Bendel is a PECoG associated researcher. Further information about the conference is available at icsr2025.eu.

Posted on

Short Papers at ICSR 2025

The ICSR is one of the leading conferences for social robotics worldwide. The 17th edition will take place from 10 to 12 September 2025 in Naples, Italy. The deadline for submitting short papers is approaching. Short papers consist of 5 pages of body text plus 1 page references. The most important conference dates are: Short Paper Submission: June 18, 2025; Short Paper Notification: July 7t, 2025; Camera-ready: July 11, 2025; Paper Presentation Days at ICSR’25: September 11 and 12, 2025. All dates are listed on the website. “The conference of theme, ‘Emotivation at the Core: Empowering Social Robots to Inspire and Connect,’ highlights the essential role of ‘Emotivation’ in social robotics. Emotivation captures the synergy between emotion and motivation, where emotions trigger and sustain motivation during interactions. In social robotics, this concept is key to building trust, fostering empathy, and supporting decision-making by enabling robots to respond sensitively to human emotions, inspiring engagement and action.” (Website ICSR) Participants will meet for two days at the Parthenope University of Naples and for the third day at the Città della Scienza conference center. All buildings and rooms are also listed on the website. The PDF of the CfP can be downloaded here.

Posted on

ICSR 2025 Workshops

The ICSR is one of the leading conferences for social robotics worldwide. The 17th edition will take place from 10 to 12 September 2025 in Naples, Italy. As part of the program, the conference welcomes proposals for workshops that provide a platform for in-depth discussion, exchange of knowledge, and community engagement around current topics in social robotics. The organizers are especially interested in workshops that promote dialogue between established researchers and early-career scientists, supporting a dynamic and inclusive research environment. The deadline for submitting workshop proposals is June 4, 2025. Notifications of acceptance will be sent by July 1, 2025. All details and the submission portal can be found at the following link: icsr2025.eu/ss-ws-proposal … ICSR 2025 offers an opportunity to help shape the future of social robotics through collaborative and forward-looking workshop initiatives.

Posted on

ICSR 2025 Extends Deadline for Submission

The ICSR is one of the leading conferences for social robotics worldwide. The 17th edition will take place from 10 to 12 September 2025 in Naples, Italy. The deadline for the submission of complete entries has been extended again. Papers should consist of 11 pages of body text plus references as appropriate. The most important conferences dates are: Full Paper Submission: April 30th, 2025; Full Paper Notification: June 6th, 2025; Camera-ready: June 30th, 2025; Paper Presentation Days at ICSR’25: September 11th and 12th, 2025. All dates are also listed on the website. “The conference theme, ‘Emotivation at the Core: Empowering Social Robots to Inspire and Connect,’ highlights the essential role of ‘Emotivation’ in social robotics. Emotivation captures the synergy between emotion and motivation, where emotions trigger and sustain motivation during interactions. In social robotics, this concept is key to building trust, fostering empathy, and supporting decision-making by enabling robots to respond sensitively to human emotions, inspiring engagement and action.” (Website ICSR) Participants will meet for two days at the Parthenope University of Naples and for the third day at the Città della Scienza conference center. All buildings and rooms are also listed on the website.

Posted on

ICSR 2025 at the Parthenope University of Naples

The first two days of ICSR 2025 will be held “on the industrial side of Naples”. This has been announced by the General Chairs, Mariacarla Staffa (University of Naples Parthenope, Italy) and John-John Cabibihan (Qatar University, Qatar). The Honorary Chair is Bruno Siciliano (University of Naples Federico II, Italy). “The University of Naples Parthenope will host the social robotics conference and showcase the technological advancements of this innovative city. Since 1919, the University of Naples Parthenope has been dedicated to fostering young talent, offering internationally oriented education and cutting-edge research. With 15,000 students, 320 faculty, and 250 staff, it combines a strong maritime tradition with excellence in economics, law, engineering, technology, and sports sciences. Innovation and real-world impact are at the core of its mission.” (Announcement General Chairs) On the third day, the participants will meet at the Città della Scienza conference center. The conference website of ICSR 2025 is online since January: icsr2025.eu (Photo: Parthenope).

Posted on

The ICSR 2025 Website is Now Online

The ICSR is one of the leading conferences for social robotics worldwide. The 17th edition will take place from 10 to 12 September 2025 in Naples, Italy. The conference website is now online: icsr2025.eu. “The conference theme, ‘Emotivation at the Core: Empowering Social Robots to Inspire and Connect,’ highlights the essential role of ‘Emotivation’ in social robotics. Emotivation captures the synergy between emotion and motivation, where emotions trigger and sustain motivation during interactions. In social robotics, this concept is key to building trust, fostering empathy, and supporting decision-making by enabling robots to respond sensitively to human emotions, inspiring engagement and action.” (Website ICSR) The most important conferences dates are: Full Paper Submission: March 28th, 2025; Full Paper Notification: May 9th, 2025; Camera-ready: June 30th, 2025; Paper Presentation Days at ICSR’25: September 11th and 12th, 2025. All dates are also listed on the website. Participants will meet for two days at the Parthenope University of Naples and for the third day at the Città della Scienza conference center. All buildings and rooms are also listed on the website. Be part of this excellent conference (Photo: ICSR)!