
ScentDia: art meets social robotics
ScentDia: the IULM project combining art, philosophy and social robotics will be presented February 21 at 7:30 p.m. at the Leonardo da Vinci National Museum of Science and Technology in Milan.
IULM University and the Center for Research on Complex Systems (CRiSiCo) present ScentDia, a project that mixes art, philosophy and social robotics, pushing the boundaries of technological innovation. At the heart of the project is ScentDia, a unique robotic sculpture that integrates for the first time an olfactory dimension , making human-robot interaction more intuitive and engaging. With this revolutionary feature, ScentDia redefines the concept of a "social robot" and opens new perspectives in contexts where such technology finds application, such as marketing, health care, education, entertainment, and ad personam support.
On February 21, 2025 at 7:30 p.m., the unveiling of ScentDia's world premiere exhibition will take place at the Leonardo da Vinci National Museum of Science and Technology, where the robot will be on display until March 2, 2025. To attend the unveiling event, which is open to all, you can register through this form.
ScentDia is the result of a transdisciplinary research project involving leading figures in the arts and science; the project was developed through the collaboration of:
- Mari Velonaki, from the University of New South Wales in Sydney, artist and robotics creator of the social robot ScentDia;
- Manos Gerakinis, perfume artist and creator of the olfactory dimension of ScentDia;
- Luisa Damiano, IULM professor, specialist in philosophy of mind, epistemology of complex systems and social robotics, who oversaw the scientific aspects of the project.
Social robotics represents an emerging field of contemporary robotics, focused on creating robots capable of interacting with humans through social signals, such as gestures, facial expressions and verbal communication. This approach aims to transform human-machine interaction into a true partnership, enhancing the capabilities of robots in personal services. ScentDia stands as a concrete example of this transition, taking human-robot interaction to new frontiers.