Spoke 1 Eng Archives - RAISE Innovation Ecosystem

Discover the technologies of the Spoke 1 school demonstrator in the new video

Posted on 27 March 202627 March 2026 by admin

A new video offers an in-depth look at the technologies developed for the Spoke 1 demonstrator, coordinated by Monica Gori, Principal Investigator of the Unit for Visually Impaired People at IIT.

The video guides viewers and stakeholders through the solutions designed for the school environment, showing how research and innovation can translate into practical tools for inclusive learning.

The demonstrator integrates tools developed by a multidisciplinary team of researchers from IIT, CNR, the University of Genoa, and ETT, including Monica Gori, Andrea Senacheribbe, Giulia Pusceddu, Francesco Rocchi, Lorenzo Landolfi, Susanna Alloisio, Francesco Rea, Alice De Luca, Brigida Bonino, Chiara Malagoli, Davide Chiarella, Lorenza Saettone, Alice Nardelli, and Francesca Corrao. In the video, each technology is presented with clear explanations of its educational goals and practical functioning.

Among the featured technologies, Cambia Colore analyzes children’s movements to support emotion recognition and body-based communication. Human in the Scene provides data on group collaboration dynamics, offering insights into participant engagement. For primary schools, the video shows how Insegno, a web platform with lessons in Italian Sign Language (LIS), and 3D-printed Tactile Maps make complex subjects such as geography and astronomy more accessible. SenseObject, a sensorized physical device developed by ETT, enhances visuospatial skills through play, while the Memory app promotes empathy and collaboration within the classroom.

Technologies designed for lower secondary schools also play a key role. Rice Meta supports the learning of metaphors through interaction with an assistive robot, Virtual Museum guides students through immersive cultural experiences, and Rice Persona explores how the perceived personality of a robot influences collaborative task performance. Completing the ecosystem, Environmental State, developed by CNR, monitors environmental conditions in real time, providing an integrated understanding of the classroom setting.

The video goes beyond showcasing devices and highlights the design principles and inclusive approach behind the demonstrator. Viewers gain insight into how these technological solutions respond to real educational needs, supporting personalized and interactive learning pathways from early childhood through adolescence.

While focusing on the technologies, the video also briefly recalls the event held on December 9 at the Teglia Comprehensive Institute, where the demonstrator was presented in the presence of students. That occasion offered a direct opportunity to observe how innovative solutions can enrich teaching practices and foster active participation.

The Spoke 1 demonstrator video represents a unique opportunity to explore the technological ecosystem developed by researchers, offering teachers, stakeholders, and citizens a concrete vision of how scientific research can become effective, inclusive, and innovative educational tools.

Urban technologies and inclusion: episode two of the RAISE video-podcast now online

Posted on 18 March 202618 March 2026 by admin

The second episode of Encounters with the “Incontri con il futuro – Storie di innovazione dall’ecosistema RAISE”, the video-podcast created in collaboration with Rinnovabili.it, is now available. The series explores projects, people, and visions at the forefront of research in robotics and artificial intelligence.

This episode has focused on a key theme for the development of contemporary cities: inclusion. Through a conversation with Lorenzo Landolfi, Postdoctoral Researcher at the Italian Institute of Technology, and Katia Lupinetti, Research Scientist at the National Research Council, the episode has offered a concrete perspective on how urban technologies can improve quality of life and foster broader participation in educational and urban environments.

The discussion has explored in particular two application areas developed within Spoke 1 of the RAISE ecosystem: the School Demonstrator and the Mobility Demonstrator. These complementary examples have shown how research can translate into solutions capable of addressing real-world needs.

The School Demonstrator has presented an integrated set of technologies based on robotics, artificial intelligence, and multisensory approaches.

During the episode, Lorenzo Landolfi has explained how these tools have supported new learning models designed to adapt to the diverse needs of students. The integration of digital and physical environments has enabled more accessible learning experiences, encouraging active participation and valuing individual differences. The demonstrator has outlined a vision of education in which technology supports learning pathways and contributes to more inclusive environments.

Alongside education, the episode has addressed the topic of urban mobility. Katia Lupinetti has described the work behind the Mobility Demonstrator, which has used urban data and digital models to analyze and improve accessibility within city spaces. The processing of information from multiple sources has made it possible to identify critical issues and opportunities, providing useful tools to design services that better respond to people’s needs. The demonstrator has highlighted how a conscious use of data can support more effective decision-making and guide the transformation of cities toward greater inclusion.

Throughout the episode, the dialogue between the two guests has emphasized the value of collaboration across research institutions and disciplines. The RAISE ecosystem has created a shared working environment where technological, scientific, and social expertise has converged to develop innovative solutions. This approach has strengthened the connection between research and real-world applications, enabling a tangible impact on local communities.

The second episode of the videopodcast has offered a clear and accessible narrative of how technology can contribute to building more inclusive cities, starting from education and extending to urban spaces. It invites audiences to look at the present with a future-oriented perspective, where innovation and social responsibility move forward together.

Technologies and innovation for art and culture: from the results of RAISE Spoke 1 toward new frontiers of well-being

Posted on 18 March 202619 March 2026 by admin

In the splendid setting of Palazzo Spinola di Pellicceria in Genoa, on the afternoon of March 13, RAISE Spoke 1 presented the results achieved in promoting more inclusive ways of accessing and experiencing the city’s artistic and cultural offerings.

The event featured both a session of presentations and discussions—with researchers from RAISE Spoke 1 and external guests—as well as a series of hands-on demonstrations held in the Educational Room of Palazzo Spinola.

After an introduction by Spoke 1 coordinator Michela Spagnuolo (CNR-IMATI), Eleonora Ceccaldi (UniGe, Spoke 1) presented the RAISE Spoke 1 “culture” demonstrator. She began with the concept of well-being and the role of art in care, and then introduced the technologies included in the demonstrator: DanzArTe-EWT and RespirArte, developed by UniGe-DIBRIS. These allow visitors to move beyond passive observation and actively engage with visual artworks through body movement, fostering an aesthetic resonance with the pieces themselves. In addition to enabling a deeper experience of the artwork, the benefits extend to rehabilitation—both motor and cognitive-as well as to social interaction, thanks to the possibility of shared experiences with other visitors.

The researcher then presented another component of the culture demonstrator: the SENSE-CITY tools, developed by CNR. These tools collect data on citizens’ emotional states during walking routes in the city, making it possible to create emotional maps of the urban environment. Finally, Arte Tattile, developed by ETT, was introduced: a technology capable of transforming a visual artwork into an interactive three-dimensional relief equipped with tactile sensors. By activating an audio guide, these sensors turn the painting into a multisensory object that can be explored through touch.

Federica Caruso (University of L’Aquila) then presented the ARTECOM project, funded through the cascade call launched by Spoke 1 for universities and public institutions. The project aims to create a musical co-creation experience embedded in the urban fabric of the city of L’Aquila, supported by interactive and immersive technologies. Experts from the Alfredo Casella Conservatory, a partner of ARTECOM, created five electroacoustic soundscapes based on the city’s sounds and reworked using artificial intelligence. These soundscapes animate installations in which the music changes according to the movements and choices of visitors.

The event continued with a panel of experts moderated by Mariangela De Vita (CNR-DIITET), bringing together Federica Caruso (University of L’Aquila) and Antonio Camurri (UniGe-DIBRIS) with Riccardo Dapelo (Giuseppe Nicolini Conservatory of Music in Piacenza) and Paolo Naldini (Cittadellarte–Fondazione Pistoletto). Starting from the concepts of interconnection, connection, well-being, and inclusion, the speakers presented examples of artistic projects developed in other contexts, all related to the themes of the roundtable and aimed at exploring the potential synergies between technology and art.

Federica Caruso illustrated several applications of Virtual Reality in healthcare settings, where it is used alongside art to manage stress and the perception of pain.

Riccardo Dapelo discussed the relationship between sculpture and music, describing the “Pietre Sonore” project by Maestro Sciola, in which the installation space becomes interactive thanks to sensors that allow visitors to “play” the stone sculptures without touching them, through “invisible keys” activated by their presence.

Paolo Naldini described how inspirations drawn from concrete contexts have influenced artistic creation processes, within projects such as Glacial Threads. From forests to the textiles of the future, in collaboration with the Lenzing group, which aims to protect Alpine glaciers using special biodegradable, microplastic-free geotextiles derived from trees. These fabrics, in addition to covering the glaciers, are recyclable and have inspired, through artistic creation processes, a fashion collection that carries the traces of stories written by water over time through these materials.

Antonio Camurri highlighted the role of Casa Paganini and several projects developed within this strongly multidisciplinary environment, focusing in particular on the ability of art to encourage people to slow down and engage deeply with aesthetic experiences, with positive effects on individual well-being in an increasingly fast-paced and stimulus-overloaded world.

The event concluded with a convivial moment and the opportunity for participants to directly experience the technologies of the Spoke 1 culture demonstrator.

From the prestigious halls of a historic Genoese palace—part of the National Museums of Genoa—RAISE Spoke 1 thus brought its activities to a close with a final event open to the public. During this occasion, the results achieved along the thread connecting beauty, art, care, well-being, inclusion, and technology were shared, paving the way for new interconnections, collaborations, and future projects.

Dai-risultati-di-RAISE-Spoke-1-verso-nuove-frontiere-del-benessere-artecom

Dai-risultati-di-RAISE-Spoke-1-verso-nuove-frontiere-del-benessere-chiusura

Dai-risultati-di-RAISE-Spoke-1-verso-nuove-frontiere-del-benessere-inizio

Images
Author: Communications Team, Spoke 5
Credits: RAISE

Technology at the service of people and territories

Posted on 16 March 202624 March 2026 by admin

On 13 March 2026, Palazzo Tursi in Genoa hosted a day of discussion dedicated to the future of cities and the role of urban technologies in fostering more inclusive communities.

The initiative, promoted within the framework of RAISE Spoke 1, brought together public administrators, researchers, urban planning experts, and innovation specialists to discuss the results, perspectives, and impact of the activities carried out over the past three years.

The day opened with the session “The Ethical City, the City that Cares,” moderated by Domenico Lanzillotta (Blum/City Vision). During the meeting, Michela Spagnuolo, Spoke Leader of RAISE Spoke 1 and Director of the Institute for Applied Mathematics and Information Technologies (IMATI) of the National Research Council (CNR), presented the objectives and key results of the spoke, which focuses on developing urban technologies to promote participation, inclusion, and quality of life in cities.

In her speech, Cristina Battaglia, the project’s programme manager, offered an overview of the three years of work carried out by the RAISE ecosystem: an initiative that has involved more than one thousand researchers and professionals and has led to the recruitment of 380 people, with women representing 42% of the total. Battaglia highlighted the value of multidisciplinarity and the commitment to placing technology and innovation at the service of people, with results capable of generating both economic and social value.

The Mayor of Genoa, Silvia Salis, emphasized the strategic role of scientific and technological research in the present and future of the city. Genoa is developing a strong identity as a center of innovation, where robotics and artificial intelligence engage with issues such as urban justice and democratic access to technology. The digitalization of public services also requires the growth of digital skills among the population, with particular attention to more vulnerable groups.

City councillors of the Municipality of Genoa – Francesca Coppola, Rita Bruzzone, and Emilio Robotti – linked the RAISE experiments to the city’s urban policies, including the “15-minute city” model and the goal of building urban spaces that are more accessible, inclusive, and attentive to quality of life.

The second session, moderated by Michela Spagnuolo, explored the approach, results, and impact of the research activities in greater depth. Speakers included Carlos Beltran and Lorenzo Landolfi from the Italian Institute of Technology, Katia Lupinetti, Elia Moscoso Thompson, and Elena Maria Ragazzi from the National Research Council, as well as Paola Renata Dameri and Mauro Migliavacca from the University of Genoa.

Beltran and Lupinetti illustrated the role of living labs, experimental environments that involve citizens and users in the co-design of technologies. These laboratories take different forms: testing experiences with technologies that are already available, co-design activities aimed at identifying emerging needs, and processes supporting implementation and adoption.

Among the demonstrators developed within RAISE, Elia Moscoso Thompson presented the mobility demonstrator, designed as a social infrastructure capable of connecting citizens, urban services, and communities. Lorenzo Landolfi, on the other hand, presented the demonstrator dedicated to the school environment.

Paola Renata Dameri addressed the theme of technologies for urban governance and their contribution to improving quality of life in cities, while Elena Maria Ragazzi explained the evaluation model adopted within RAISE. The evaluation distinguishes between outputs, which measure the functioning of the demonstrators, and outcomes, which analyze their impact on well-being and inclusion. The process involved users and stakeholders through focus groups and analytical tools such as the SWOT matrix, with the aim of developing technologies that are accessible and not elitist.

Mauro Migliavacca finally presented the results of a survey conducted among approximately two thousand citizens in Liguria, focusing on digital skills and access to the internet. The study provides a useful knowledge tool for understanding differences related to age, income, and employment status, and represents a valuable information resource for both the city and the region.

In the afternoon, Monica Gori of the Italian Institute of Technology delivered a greeting via remote connection, followed by a presentation by Roberta De Donatis of the National Research Council on the cascade funding calls, instruments designed to expand the ecosystem’s impact and involve new organizations in innovation processes.

The day concluded with the roundtable “Urban Technologies and Public Policies: Building the Cities of the Future,” moderated by Domenico Lanzillotta. The discussion involved Nora Alba Bruzzone (Urban Planning Directorate of the Municipality of Genoa), Nicola Valentino Canessa (Genova Smart City), Enrico Buzzo (AMT Genova), Iginio Rossi (National Institute of Urban Planning), Ivano Marchiol (Municipality of Udine), Bibiana Chierchia (Municipality of Campobasso), Silvia Campailla (CTE Genova), and Raffaella Dagnino (Metropolitan City of Genoa).

The speakers highlighted several key challenges for contemporary cities: the integration of data and decision-making processes, the development of shared digital infrastructures, and the role of networks connecting institutions, companies, and research centers.

The discussion also emphasized the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to urban transformation and the need to develop technologies capable of producing concrete effects on people’s everyday lives—from mobility to public services, from accessibility of urban spaces to civic participation.

The day thus offered a rich overview of experiences and perspectives, confirming the contribution of RAISE in promoting a vision of the city in which technological innovation, public governance, and social participation work together to build new models of urban well-being.

RAISE-Tecnologia-al-Servizio-delle-Persone-e-dei-Territori-8

RAISE-Tecnologia-al-Servizio-delle-Persone-e-dei-Territori-7

RAISE-Tecnologia-al-Servizio-delle-Persone-e-dei-Territori-6

RAISE-Tecnologia-al-Servizio-delle-Persone-e-dei-Territori-5

RAISE-Tecnologia-al-Servizio-delle-Persone-e-dei-Territori-4

RAISE-Tecnologia-al-Servizio-delle-Persone-e-dei-Territori-3

RAISE-Tecnologia-al-Servizio-delle-Persone-e-dei-Territori-2

RAISE-Tecnologia-al-Servizio-delle-Persone-e-dei-Territori-1

RAISE Spoke 1: technologies for the inclusive city

Posted on 13 March 202613 March 2026 by admin

On 12 March 2026, the BIC Genova hosted the first of the final events organized for RAISE Spoke 1 – Urban Technologies for Inclusive Engagement, a day dedicated to sharing the results, experiments, and perspectives that have emerged over the past three years of activity.

The initiative, organized in collaboration with FILSE, brought together researchers, companies, institutions, and regional stakeholders to reflect on the social and economic value of the technologies developed within the Spoke focused on inclusive cities.

The event opened with institutional greetings from Gerolamo Taccogna, President of FILSE, Cristina Battaglia, Programme Manager of the RAISE ecosystem, and Alessio Piana, Regional Councillor for Economic Development, Research and Innovation of the Liguria Region. Their remarks highlighted the strategic importance of collaboration between research institutions, public bodies, and the productive system in transforming scientific and technological innovation into concrete opportunities for territorial development.

The path of RAISE Spoke 1 was retraced by Michela Spagnuolo, Leader of Spoke 1 and Director of the IMATI Institute of the National Research Council (CNR). She outlined the main milestones of the project: from the initial conception of the ecosystem in 2021, to its operational launch in 2022, and the development of research and experimentation activities starting in 2023.

Among the most significant moments were the launch of the cascade calls, the RAISE up Pitch Day in 2025, and the field experiments that in the same year led Spoke 1 to receive the Smart Cities Award, a recognition dedicated to projects capable of contributing to the development of more innovative and inclusive cities.

Accessibility and inclusion have been the key themes throughout the entire journey. Spoke 1 has worked to envision a city capable of adapting to the people who inhabit it, leveraging existing technologies—such as sensors, digital platforms, and artificial intelligence systems—to make urban spaces more accessible and responsive to individual needs.

The session “From Labs to Market” presented research results through contributions from Elia Moscoso Thompson of the CNR, Lorenzo Landolfi of the Italian Institute of Technology, and Eleonora Ceccaldi and Monica Bruzzone from the University of Genoa. Their presentations illustrated the main technological development lines of Spoke 1 and the role of the demonstrators—ecosystems of technologies composed of sensors, devices, and software integrated with one another and with the digital infrastructure of RAISE.

These demonstrators address concrete contexts of urban life. The Mobility demonstrator develops tools to facilitate movement within the city, with particular attention to pedestrian mobility and the accessibility of public spaces. The School demonstrator experiments with technologies aimed at improving learning environments, promoting inclusion and well-being within educational spaces. The Culture demonstrator explores new ways of engaging with cultural heritage through immersive and multisensory experiences that involve the body, emotions, and perception.

A central aspect also concerns the relationship with public administrations. The Work Package “From Inclusive Technologies to Inclusive Smart Cities” has developed digital tools and guidelines to interpret and integrate complex urban data, providing public decision-makers with instruments to support more informed policies. From this perspective, the city emerges as a system composed of micro-territories characterized by different levels of economic, social, and environmental vulnerability. Data analysis makes it possible to identify these differences and allocate resources and interventions more effectively.

The session dedicated to the RAISE up experience gave voice to some of the initiatives selected for the startup program, as introduced by Miriam Molinari. This was followed by presentations from Andrea Senacheribbe, Chiara Malagoli, and Elia Moscoso Thompson, who illustrated the initiatives LUCA, Urban3D, and EaseVR respectively. These projects demonstrate the potential of the technologies developed within Spoke 1 to foster new applications and opportunities for technology transfer.

In the afternoon, the roundtable discussion on economic development brought together representatives from institutions and technological clusters to discuss the prospects for enhancing the value of the developed technologies. Moderated by Nives Riggio from FILSE, the discussion involved Marco Rolandi from the Liguria Region, Barbara Canesi from Nextage, Alberto Pellissone from TICASS, Paolo Bandiera from PLSV, Roberta De Donatis from Start4.0, and Marta Tosolini from WillEasy. The discussion highlighted the potential of RAISE technologies to generate new opportunities for businesses, urban services, and public policies.

The final session explored the technological legacy of Spoke 1 in the region. Moderated by Michela Spagnuolo, it featured contributions from Massimo Massa of Aitek, Fabrizio Malfanti, Riccardo De Benedictis, and Giuseppe Patanè of the CNR. The speakers presented the digital infrastructures developed by the project—including the UDP platform and the City Digital Twin—as well as research infrastructures related to the One Health paradigm, which connects well-being, health, and the urban environment.

The concluding event thus conveyed the deeper meaning of three years of work. “More than a final event, we could speak of the beginning of a new phase for the initiatives promoted by RAISE Spoke 1,” commented Michela Spagnuolo. “The technologies developed within Spoke 1 now represent a heritage of knowledge, infrastructures, and collaborations that will continue to grow across the Ligurian territory, opening new perspectives for innovation, economic development, and social inclusion.” The event ultimately demonstrated how scientific research can generate concrete tools to improve quality of life in cities.

RAISE-Spoke-1-tecnologie-per-la-citta-inclusiva-8

RAISE-Spoke-1-tecnologie-per-la-citta-inclusiva-7

RAISE-Spoke-1-tecnologie-per-la-citta-inclusiva-6

RAISE-Spoke-1-tecnologie-per-la-citta-inclusiva-5

RAISE-Spoke-1-tecnologie-per-la-citta-inclusiva-4

RAISE-Spoke-1-tecnologie-per-la-citta-inclusiva-3

RAISE-Spoke-1-tecnologie-per-la-citta-inclusiva-2

RAISE-Spoke-1-tecnologie-per-la-citta-inclusiva-1

Spoke 1 Opens a Global Dialogue on the Well-Being City

Posted on 2 March 20262 March 2026 by admin

From 1 to 7 February, the National Research Council of Italy’s Institute for Applied Mathematics and Information Technologies (CNR-IMATI) in Genoa hosted the institutional visit of Takehiko Nagumo, Representative Director of the Smart City Institute of Tokyo. The week featured a series of meetings, workshops and lectures devoted to the theme of urban well-being. The initiative strengthened scientific dialogue between the CNR and the RAISE – Robotics and AI for Socioeconomic Empowerment ecosystem, with a specific focus on the activities of Spoke 1, which develops models, indicators and tools for the “well-being city.”

Professor Nagumo teaches at several Japanese universities, serves as a panel member of the UN-Habitat Global Quality of Life Initiative, and founded the Smart City Institute of Tokyo. The institute is a national reference hub bringing together more than 800 partners, including companies, start-ups, public institutions, universities, research centres and civil society organisations. In his role as Representative Director of SCI, Nagumo initiated in Genoa an in-depth exchange on the theme of urban well-being, an area in which the institute develops major projects at the national level.

The idea for the visit took shape during the participation of RAISE in the Smart City Expo World Congress held in Barcelona from 4 to 6 November 2025. On that occasion, Michela Spagnuolo, Director of CNR-IMATI, had the opportunity to learn more about SCI’s activities and sparked Professor Nagumo’s interest in the research initiatives promoted within RAISE. From this initial exchange, a structured programme emerged that involved CNR researchers in a series of individual discussions throughout the week.

On 4 February, CNR-IMATI organised a workshop open to RAISE Spoke 1 participants. Michela Spagnuolo opened the event, followed by a presentation of the results of Task 1.1 on urban well-being indicators by Carlos Beltran. Professor Nagumo then presented the experience of the Smart City Institute in a talk titled “Human-Centred Urban Design: not just Smart but a Well-Being City,” offering reflections on urban design focused on quality of life. The concluding discussion brought together different approaches and methodologies, opening new perspectives for scientific collaboration. During the day, documentary filmmakers from BLUM!, commissioned by CNR-IMATI, interviewed Professor Nagumo for a documentary dedicated to the activities and results of RAISE Spoke 1.

On 5 February the institute hosted an internal workshop dedicated to the concept of the Well-Being City. The following day, Professor Nagumo delivered a lecture within the postgraduate programme “Designing the Smart City” at the Department of Economics of the University of Genoa, engaging students and faculty in an international discussion on models of urban development.

The visit also provided an opportunity to explore the results of the Japanese project Liveable Wellbeing City Indicators, the first national index dedicated to urban well-being and quality of life. The framework combines objective data—useful for assessing the efficiency and quality of urban services—with subjective data collected through targeted surveys to measure people’s perceptions of happiness and satisfaction. The analyses reveal significant gaps between these two dimensions, highlighting how technology acts as an enabling factor that nonetheless requires a broader vision to generate overall well-being.

Against this backdrop, Spoke 1 strengthened a platform for international dialogue that may support new shared research trajectories. The week in Genoa thus laid the foundations for structured cooperation between the National Research Council of Italy, RAISE and the Smart City Institute, with the aim of developing innovative models for the well-being city.

Spoke-1-apre-al-confronto-globale-sulla-citta-del-benessere-3

Spoke-1-apre-al-confronto-globale-sulla-citta-del-benessere-2

Spoke-1-apre-al-confronto-globale-sulla-citta-del-benessere-1

Spoke 1 goes to schools

Posted on 16 January 202620 January 2026 by admin

On December 9, the Teglia Comprehensive Institute hosted the presentation of a Spoke 1 demonstrator. Spoke 1 is coordinated by CNR (Michela Spagnuolo) with IIT (Monica Gori) as co-coordinator and was specifically designed for the school environment. The event offered a concrete opportunity to observe how research can be translated into innovative and inclusive educational practices, attentive to different learning contexts.

The day, coordinated by the IIT Unit for Visually Impaired People and the Cognitive Architecture for Collaborative Technologies research units—responsible for the development, integration, and deployment of the demonstrator—involved students from kindergarten, primary school, and lower secondary school, turning the institute into a shared space of experimentation between education and technology.

In kindergarten, forty five-year-old children took part in activities designed to enhance the emotional, bodily, and relational dimensions of learning. Divided into small groups, they interacted with Cambia Colore, a technology developed by the University of Genoa in collaboration with Casa Paganini, based on movement analysis. The experience guided children in recognizing and sharing emotions, encouraging emotional check-in and dialogue through the body and space.
At the same time, Human in the Scene, developed by the University of Genoa together with Malga, observed the quality and intensity of interactions within the groups, providing useful indicators to understand collaborative dynamics and participant engagement. The environment thus became a living context, capable of responding to behavior and supporting inclusive learning pathways.

Primary school students experienced a day of alternative lessons, during which fourth-grade classes explored an interdisciplinary and hands-on approach. Astronomy took shape through Insegno, a web platform developed by the IIT Unit for Visually Impaired People that offers interactive lessons in Italian Sign Language (LIS), and through Tactile Maps, developed within the same research line, which use 3D printing to make the learning of geography and space more intuitive and accessible. These tools enabled students to explore complex concepts through touch, visualization, and direct interaction.
Spatial orientation was addressed through SenseObject, a sensorized physical object developed by ETT, designed to stimulate and strengthen visual-spatial skills through play and manipulation. The day concluded with activities focused on inclusion and relationships thanks to Memory, an application developed by the IIT Unit for Visually Impaired People to promote empathy, connection, and collaboration within the classroom.

Lower secondary school students also actively participated in the presentation of the demonstrator. First-year classes engaged in lessons in Italian language, art, and robotics through technologies that brought disciplinary content closer to contemporary forms of expression. Italian language learning found new expressive possibilities with Rice Meta, developed by the University of Genoa to support the learning of metaphors through interaction with an assistive robot.
Art lessons came to life with Virtual Museum, a CNR virtual reality technology that guides students through an immersive exploration of museum environments, making cultural experiences more engaging and accessible. Robotics was explored through Rice Persona, also developed by the University of Genoa, which investigates the impact of the perceived personality of a humanoid robot on the performance of collaborative tasks. Supporting the entire learning environment, Environmental State, developed by CNR, monitored the dynamic state of the space, providing an integrated view of environmental conditions.

The demonstrator highlighted the strength of a research ecosystem built through collaboration among IIT, CNR, the University of Genoa, and ETT. Researchers contributed diverse and complementary expertise, giving rise to solutions that address the real needs of schools and educational communities. The technologies presented showed how innovation can support the entire school journey, from early childhood through adolescence, with particular attention to inclusion, personalization, and active participation.

The experience of December 9 confirmed Spoke 1’s role as a bridge between research and the education system. Bringing a demonstrator into a comprehensive school meant opening the doors of scientific experimentation to younger generations, offering students the opportunity to learn through experience and engage with tools that speak the language of the present.

From this perspective, collaboration between schools and research continues to represent a strategic lever for building an education system capable of innovating, including, and looking to the future with confidence.

Royal Inclusion: when the home becomes a museum and the museum returns to being a home, in the smart and inclusive city

Posted on 19 December 202516 January 2026 by admin

On the occasion of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, on December 3rd, a selection of technologies for the inclusive enjoyment of cultural experiences was presented at Palazzo Reale in Genoa during the event “Royal Inclusion: when the home becomes a museum and the museum returns to being a home”, organized by Spoke 1.

The technological solutions were developed within the RAISE ecosystem by CNR, the Casa Paganini – InfoMus research center of the University of Genoa, ETT, and students of the Master’s Degree Programme in Digital Humanities – Interactive Systems and Digital Media, Affective Computing, Arts and Cultural Welfare (ACW) curriculum.

More specifically, the day followed this schedule:
9:30 – 16:30: free exploration of the technologies
16:30 – 17:30: guided tour led by the students involved in the project
17:30 – 18:30: workshop featuring a presentation of the RAISE ecosystem and an in-depth discussion of the technologies by their creators

The event allowed visitors to explore new ways of relating to cultural sites by experimenting with innovative technologies focused on cultural welfare, where culture and art play a role in caring for both individuals and the territory.

Participants were able to experience this historic residence in a new way, with the opportunity to interact with two interactive installations: DanzArTe and RespirArTe. In these installations, visitors play an active role and, through interactive technologies, experience a visual artwork immersively through their own bodies. This results in an authentic aesthetic appreciation in which the sonification of movement and visual arts come together to create an immersive experience, making participants protagonists in the gradual unveiling of the artwork. DanzArTe and RespirArTe were developed by the Casa Paganini–InfoMus center (University of Genoa).

Both installations were tested in Spoke 1 and Spoke 2 contexts, namely in museums and cultural venues within the smart and inclusive city, as well as in a hospital setting.

The third installation included in the visitor pathway was Arte Tattile by ETT, presented by Susanna Alloisio (Spoke 1, ETT). This project transforms a traditional 2D painting into a three-dimensional representation, highlighting the relief of the depicted objects. Visitors can explore the artwork and listen to an interactive description thanks to invisible sensors. This technology offers new access to art for blind or visually impaired people by enabling engagement through touch and hearing, while also enriching the multisensory experience for all visitors.

Finally, visitors were involved in the Emotional Maps project by CNR-IMATI, coordinated by Michela Spagnuolo (Spoke 1, CNR-IMATI). The research explores the relationship between urban space and emotional experience through an integrated approach that combines wearable biometric sensors, GPS tracking, manually created emotional maps, and subjective narratives.

During the experimentation, participants walked through an urban area while physiological parameters were recorded; upon returning, they narrated their experience and drew an emotional map of the route. The collected narratives were subsequently analyzed using sentiment analysis techniques and correlated with spatial and biometric data, enabling the construction of a subjective geography of the territory that makes visible how places and routes influence individual perceptions and emotions.

Students from the Master’s Degree Programme in Digital Humanities at the University of Genoa played an important role in the design and realization of the cultural event, acting both as guides for the installations and as authors of two additional interactive digital application proposals developed during their coursework.

The final workshop provided an opportunity to reflect on the work carried out to achieve the results presented throughout the day.

All the new experiences presented during the event represent concrete examples of the application of innovative technologies to support inclusive, creative, and personalized processes, opening up new forms of museum experiences and cultural welfare within the territory.

RAISE explores urban emotions

Posted on 18 December 202519 December 2025 by admin

Within the framework of the RAISE – Emotional Maps project, developed under RAISE Spoke 1 and coordinated by the National Research Council (CNR), the field experimentation phase began in the historic center of Genoa between 18 and 22 November 2025. The initiative involved 50 volunteers, invited to explore the city’s narrow streets and to share their emotional experiences of urban space through simple tools and innovative technologies.

The experimentation offered an immersive and participatory experience, designed to investigate how people perceive, move through, and interpret the city. CNR researchers guided participants along a structured yet flexible pathway, allowing each person to choose the most suitable time slot, either in the morning or in the afternoon.

Each session opened with a short training phase, during which the project team explained objectives, procedures, and the tools in use. Each participant received a mobile phone and a sensor wristband, used to track the route and collect physiological data such as heart rate. These data accompanied the emotional walk, which took place in a mapped area of the historic center, leaving space for observation, listening, and the sensations evoked by places and people encountered along the way.

At the end of the route, volunteers translated their experience into an emotional map, an expressive and accessible tool that brought together storytelling, perception, and memory. Through drawings, words, and signs, each participant provided a personal interpretation of urban space, sharing emotions, moods, and impressions. Oral storytelling further enriched the process, offering researchers valuable material for analysis.

The experimentation contributed to testing SenseCity, a set of technological and traditional tools designed to describe the perception of urban space with the aim of improving accessibility and social inclusion. By combining physiological data, movement traces, and subjective narratives, the project explored new ways of reading the city, integrating quantitative and qualitative dimensions.

The journey concluded on 3 December 2025 with a public event at Palazzo Reale, during which the research team presented the collected data and the first results of the experimentation. The event provided a moment of feedback and dialogue, open to all participants, who were invited to recognize themselves as active contributors to the research process.

With Emotional Maps, RAISE strengthened the dialogue between science, the city, and its citizens, valuing direct experience as a tool for knowledge and promoting a vision of technology in the service of collective well-being and a deeper understanding of urban spaces.

Tactile Art, an inclusive multisensory experience by ETT within Spoke 1

Posted on 12 December 202515 December 2025 by admin

ETT has developed the “Tactile Art” project as part of Spoke 1 of RAISE, an initiative that innovates the way art is experienced.

Designed to overcome visual barriers, the tactile painting uses Sense® technology to make artworks accessible to everyone, offering a multisensory and immersive experience.

Invisible touch sensors integrated into the surfaces allow visitors to explore the artwork with their hands, while audio content is automatically activated, narrating the story of the painting and enriching the sensory experience.

Arte Tattile, un’esperienza multisensoriale inclusiva di ETT nell’ambito dello Spoke 1. — Tactile Art by ETT at Palazzo Reale, Genoa | Photo author (video frame): Marzio Cardellini (Bluframe) | Credits: RAISE

The project stems from in-depth research on inclusive understanding of two-dimensional art, with the aim of transforming every visit into a direct and personal encounter with the artwork. The creative process begins with converting a photograph of the painting into a raised three-dimensional model, where lines and details become shapes perceptible to the touch.

The three-dimensional prototype, produced at a 2:1 scale using 3D printing, ensures precision and fidelity of detail, while the integrated Sense® technology enables audio descriptions to be activated by lightly touching different sections of the painting, creating a true dialogue between the artwork and the visitor.

The experience thus becomes an immersive journey capable of stimulating touch, hearing, emotion, and memory, making art vivid and accessible to all.

Tactile Art demonstrates how technology can serve as a bridge between culture and inclusion: by overcoming traditional barriers, it expands the possibilities of artistic enjoyment and invites everyone to experience art in a direct and personal way.

The project was presented as a demo within the RAISE Village 2025 and at the recent Spoke 1 event “Real Inclusion: when the home becomes a museum and the museum becomes home again”, held at Palazzo Reale in Genoa, on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

Project manager Susanna Alloisio (ETT, Spoke 1) commented on the project: “Ultimately, the tactile painting is not just an object to be observed but an invitation to touch, listen, and discover. Through this achievement, ETT shows how technology can transform the encounter with art into a shared experience, open to all, where every visitor can perceive the artwork in a unique, sensorial, and deeply personal way.”

Cover image
Photo author (video frame): Marzio Cardellini (Bluframe)
Credits: RAISE