VELENTZA Anna-Maria

Human-robot interaction researcher, combining psychology, computer science, and robotics, with the goal of designing robots for social good, applying qualitative and quantitative methods to achieve this, and dedicated to placing humans at the center of any design process that involves them. Passionate about finding the ideal specifications for a robot or intelligent device based on user needs (and vice versa), enthusiastic about handling new technology, testing its ergonomics, and determining optimal use and target audience.

I received my PhD from the LIRES Lab at the University of Macedonia (Greece), and as a Fulbright Scholar at the Interaction Lab, Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California (USA). I completed my M.Sc. in Computational Neuroscience and Cognitive Robotics at the University of Birmingham (UK) and my B.Sc. in Psychology at the University of Crete (Greece). My research focuses on embodied conversational agents and how to leverage AI and robotics for applications to support vulnerable populations. I participated in Erasmus+ programs KA2-STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS, H2020-SEAC-2015, Horizon2020-FETHPC and ICT-2014.

Art, performance readings, and film are my side projects, where I experiment with how robots can support and coexist in a feminist, queer, and compassionate environment.