The Laboratory of Embodied Natural and Artificial Intelligence (LENAI) is a research group of ISTC-CNR, coordinated by Gianluca Baldassarre. The research group is formed by about 10 Researchers/Research Fellows/PhD students. LENAI has accumulated years of research experience, and in the last years of technological innovation, on: (a) autonomous robot architectures encompassing motor learning, action selection, selective attention, active vision, and autonomous learning through reinforcement learning, open-ended learning, intrinsic motivations, autonomous goal generation, unsupervised and supervised learning; (b) understanding the brain and behaviour through neural-network computational models, in particular addressing habitual and goal-directed motor behaviour, high-level cognition, and autonomous learning. LENAI is integrated into an "ecosystem of infrastructures" that support research activities, training programs, and technology transfer/company networks shared with other laboratories of ISTC.

Address:

Main location: National Research Council, Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, Via G. Romagnosi 18A, 00196 Roma, Italy.

Additional info

Profile

THE HISTORICAL LENAI TEAM

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Components of the LENAI

(photo taken in late 2022)

HISTORY

LENAI was born in 2021, inheriting part of the staff from the previous research laboratory (see the LOCEN web page). In particular, it inherits research interests in scientific investigations on "Brain, Cognition and Behavior" and technological investigations on "Robotics and Assistive Devices". However, it has empowered its research activities with more structured research activities (see the "Research Areas" section) and a new organisational structure (see the "Organization" section). In particular, while maintaining common interests (e.g., learning, goal-directed behaviour, systems approach), scientific investigations are now specified in two fields of research ("Computational Neuroscience" and "Neuropsychology computational", see this page for a short introduction to their differences). This specification has allowed for more targeted and effective research activities. Furthermore, the technological investigations on "Robotics and assistive devices" are now enriched with insights on "Machine Learning" and its application in Robotics. This update has allowed the integration between neuro-inspired approaches (e.g., Cognitive Robotics) and recent state-of-the-art techniques (e.g., Generative Modeling and Deep Learning/Reinforcement Learning). Finally, the new organisation of the laboratory (Principal investigator and administrative staff, 4 research coordinators, operative staff) has allowed more structured activities, leading to better scientific and technological results.

VISION

"We are a group of researchers who believe in a highly interdisciplinary research that aims to investigate many aspects of biological and artificial intelligence, from the neural mechanisms underlying information computation to the artificial systems underpinning flexible and intelligent robots. We also believe in a translational approach, which leads science and technology to have an effective and positive impact on society.”

AIMS

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LENAI - AIMS

The LENAI has both scientific and technological aims. In particular, we aim to:

Generate new scientific knowledge about the brain, cognition and behaviour
Generate new technological knowledge on Machine Learning and Autonomous Robotic
Improve technologies and prototype/develop devices in applications for human therapy and education, and for robotics applications

Thus, our approach is strongly supported by Integration, Interdisciplinarity, and Translationality.

RESEARCH FIELDS/LINES/TOPICS (for further details see the group's tab "Research")

The LENAI investigations mostly fall into the fields of “Computational modelling” and “Robotics and assistive devices”. In particular, our vision and aims are operationalised in four specific research lines:

Computational Neuroscience: “Chaotic neural networks” (see the coordinator’s webpage: Andrea Mattera):
- Habitual and goal-directed behaviour in bio-plausible chaotic networks
- Exploration/exploitation balancing in brain circuits
- Reservoir computing for reinforcement learning
Computational Neuropsychology/Psychiatry: “Representation manipulation and flexible human cognition” (see the coordinator’s webpage: Giovanni Granato):
- Executive Functions
- Consciousness
- Metacognition
- Inner-speech
AI and Autonomous Cognitive Robotics: “Open-Ended Learning Autonomous Robots” (see the coordinator’s webpage: Emilio Cartoni):
- Hierarchical architectures
- Intrinsic motivations
- Autonomous representation learning
Assistive Technologies: "Wearable/soft devices and Autism" (see the coordinators’ webpage: Valerio Sperati, Beste Ozcan):
- Devices for educational scopes and clinical conditions (e.g. Autism)

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LENAI - RESEARCHFIELDS

KEY PUBLICATIONS

Cavallo A., Mattera A., Granato G., Baldassarre G. (2023). Emergence of neuronal ensembles in a chaotic corticostriatal circuit. Submitted to Conference on Cognitive Computational Neuroscience
Granato, G., & Baldassarre, G. (2021). Internal manipulation of perceptual representations in human flexible cognition: A computational model. Neural Networks, 143, 572-594. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0893608021002768
Granato, G., Borghi, A. M., Mattera, A., & Baldassarre, G. (2022). A computational model of inner speech supporting flexible goal-directed behaviour in Autism. Scientific reports, 12(1), 1-15. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-78252-y
Baldassarre G., Montella D., Santucci V. G. & Cartoni E. (2021). REAL 2021 - Robot open-Ended Autonomous Learning: A Competition and Benchmark. IEEE International Conference on Development and Learning (ICDL2021), e1-8. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9515624
Cartoni, E., Montella, D., Triesch, J. & Baldassarre, G., (2022, in press). REAL-X - Robot open-Ended Autonomous Learning Architectures: Achieving Truly End-to-End Sensorimotor Autonomous Learning Systems. IEEE Transactions on Cognitive and Developmental Systems. https://arxiv.org/abs/2011.13880
Giocondo, F., Faedda, N., Cavalli, G., Sperati, V., Ozcan, B., Giovannone, F., ... & Baldassarre, G. (2022, April). Leveraging curiosity to encourage social interactions in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: preliminary results using the interactive toy PlusMe. In CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems Extended Abstracts (pp. 1-7). https://doi.org/10.1145/3491101.3519716
Özcan, B., Sperati, V., Giocondo, F., & Baldassarre, G. (2021). “X-8”: An Experimental Interactive Toy to Support Turn-Taking Games in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. In HCI International 2021-Posters: 23rd HCI International Conference, HCII 2021, Virtual Event, July 24–29, 2021, Proceedings, Part I 23 (pp. 233-239). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-78635-9_32

ORGANISATION

The LENAI shows a clear a structured internal organisation. In particular, the role of each component is negotiated with the supervisor (Principal Investigator and/or Research Coordinator) and defines a specific level of responsibility and autonomy. Overall, the LENAI’s roles are as follows:

Principal Investigator (PI): support/responsibility of research directions, fundings, administration.
Administrative staff (AS): support/responsibility of administrative activities (e.g. tenders, contracts, etc).
Research coordinators (RC): support/responsibility of the coordination of research lines and their related projects/personnel activities.
Operative staff (OS): execution/responsibility of operative aspects of research.
Institute Collaborating Researchers (ICR): external researchers of our institute that strongly interact with the LENAI on specific projects.

(For an extended view of the organisation chart click here)

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Organization chart

Notes:

Our organisation chart does not include financial and salary information. Namely, vertical relationships do not necessary reflect a financial relationship and some elements can be paid by other institutions.
Some elements of the staff are shared with AI2Life. They participate to the projects under the supervision of both the LENAI and AI2Life.

OTHER ACTIVITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURES: AN INTEGRATED ECOSYSTEM

The LENAI proposes an ecosystem of infrastructures that support many different activities, from basic research to professional training programs. In addition, it organizes extracurricular sports activities (e.g., Padel) to promote the sharing of knowledge and experience between people from the laboratory and different laboratories of the ISTC.

Advance School of Artificial Intelligence (AS-AI, https://as-ai.org)

The AS-AI is run yearly at ISTC (Via Romagnosi 18/A, Rome). It is now at its 5th edition, starts in October of each year and terminates in June of the following year. The School is equivalent to a one-year Master program and involves 6 months of courses (2 days per week, 8 hours each, >300 hours) and a student project. The pr

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oject can focus on research, done in coordination with a research group, or a company need, carried out in coordination with a deep-tech company. A first fundamental feature of the School is that it is highly interdisciplinary, in particular focused on the synergies between artificial intelligence and natural intelligence. In this respect, the School involves about 20-25 students per year from all university backgrounds (mathematics, statistics, physics, engineering, robotics, biology, psychology, neuroscience, cognitive science, and philosophy). In addition, it involves researchers and professionals having different expertise from all areas of research and applications. A second fundamental feature of the School is that it aims to integrate state-of-the-art research and high-tech applications. For this reason, the School is creating a lively network of universities/research centres and high-tech PMIs (about 15), and involves 40 teachers from them. This network is supporting the realisation of several interdisciplinary highly-innovative projects of the students (e.g., see: http://as-ai.org/projects-2018-2019/). More detail information can be found here: www.as-ai.org .

EBRAINS-Italy Training and Innovation Centre (ETIC)

The ETIC will be created/managed during the activities of the EBRAINS-ITALY project and will foster the research and technology transfer carried out by the 17 partners of the EBRAINS-Italy project (Italian universities and research centres). Indeed, the Centre will greatly synergise with the EBRAINS European infrastructure, the main legacy of a 10-year EU-funded Human brain project.

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LENAI - TRAININGANDINNOVATIONCENTER

The first goal of the Centre will be to offer training on computational neuroscience and neurorobotics pivoting on the EBRAINS-Italy infrastructure. The training activities of the Centre will be targeted to academics (PhD Students, Post-docs, researchers) and representatives of the industry and public institutions (professionals, companies, public managers, etc.).

The second goal of the Centre will be to provide a meeting point between researchers and the industry in relation to neuroscience-based innovation that leverages the EBRAINS-Italy infrastructure. The Centre will foster the transfer of research ideas to meet industry needs through the realisation of novel marketable products involving brain and behaviour. The Centre will in particular create an Ecology where training, research, and innovation can meet to produce innovation, the “EBRAINS-Italy Research-meets-Innovation Ecology”. This will be favoured by the highly interdisciplinary research carried out by the project consortium and by ISTC-CNR on brain and behaviour.

AI2Life (https://ai2life.com)

AI2Life Srl (www.ai2life.com) is a recently founded (October 2020) spin-off company of ISTC-CNR (Innovative Start-up). The company's innovation products aim to support the digital transformation and competitiveness of industrial stakeholders, in particular deep tech companies, and

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thus benefit society through the solution of economic and social needs. In particular, AI2Life Srl offers services of industrial networking for market exploitation through a wide network of stakeholders, involving research institutes, universities, start-up, public and private institutes, high-tech suppliers and businesses. The major fields where the company is investing and carrying out its activities are:

Autonomous robotics, deep neural networks for supporting computer vision, robotic autonomous learning and motor control.
Development of services based on AI, such as autonomous chat-bots, support of human programming of drone flights, processing of unstructured data with deep network models.
Devices to support human-machine interfaces, also based on bio-sensors to detect emotional and attentional states of the users.
Fin-tech applications based on the integration of AI, block-chain, and smart contract technologies.

AI2Life Srl is co-promoter and organiser, in collaboration with ISTC-CNR, of the “Advanced School in AI” (http://as-ai.org/). Through this activity, the company is creating together with ISTC-CNR an ecology of services for bridging basic research to technology innovation.

Extracurricular sport activities

We are starting to organize sports activities among ISTC researchers. For now we organize friendly padel matches every week/2 weeks to have fun together and get to know the researchers from the other laboratories. Please, if you want to participate follow these simple steps:

Send an email to Giovanni Granato (giovanni.granato@istc.cnr.it) with your name, surname and telephone number. We have a WhatsApp group called "sPADELiamo al CNR (e dintorni)!" on which we organize matches

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You will soon receive the information to join our group and to use our organizational tools
Introduce yourself to the group and get to know each other
Join active matches or propose new matches
Enjoy!

Note that we are now starting to organize these sports activities and have chosen Padel at this initial stage. We aim to extend our activities with other sports/outdoor activities (e.g. canoeing, trekking, etc.) also outside Rome.

Contacts

LENAI offers specific contacts for specific purposes (administration, collaborations, theses, etc.). Please choose the contact that best suits your interests:

Principal Investigator and administrative staff:
- Gianluca Baldassarre (Principal Investigator, gianluca.baldassarre@istc.cnr.it): research lead, collaborations, funding grants
- Luisa di Muzio (Administrative staff, marialuisa.dimuzio@istc.cnr.it@istc.cnr.it): contracts, calls, tenders
Research coordinators:
- Emilio Cartoni (Research Coordinator; emilio.cartoni@istc.cnr.it): collaborations and theses in "AI and Autonomous Cognitive Robotics" (topics: open-ended learning robots, intrinsic motivations, machine-learning, autonomous robots, robot and AI ethics)
- Andrea Mattera (Research Coordinator; andrea.mattera@istc.cnr.it): collaborations and theses in "computational neuroscience" (topics: bio-plausible chaotic networks, goal-directed behaviour, basal-ganglia cortical brain systems, machine learning)
- Giovanni Granato (Research Coordinator; giovanni.granato@istc.cnr.it): collaborations and theses in "Computational Neuropsychology/Psychiatry" (topics: Executive Functions, Consciousness, Metacognition, Inner-speech)
- Valerio Sperati, Beste Ozcan (Research Coordinators; valerio.sperati@istc.cnr.it, beste.ozcan@istc.cnr.it): collaborations and theses in "Assistive Technologies" (topics: devices for educational scopes and clinical conditions, e.g. autism)

Research

RESEARCH FIELDS (For details on past and present research methods/fields see the LOCEN page, tab "Research")

The LENAI investigations mostly fall into the fields of “Computational modelling” and “Robotics and assistive devices”. In particular, our vision and aims are operationalised in four specific research fields:

Computational Neurosciences: specialization of computational biology that, adopting simulation methods, investigates the micro- and meso-scale functioning of neurons/neuronal networks and low-level cognition (e.g. action selection).
Computational Neuropsychology/Psychiatry: specializations of computational psychology and psychiatry that, adopting simulation methods, investigate the meso- and macro-scale functioning of brain networks and high-level cognition (e.g. executive functions), in case of healthy, neuro-divergent and pathological conditions.
AI and Autonomous Robotics: specialisation of Robotics that aims to provide robots with human-like cognition (e.g. learning/reasoning), making them more intelligent and flexible.
Assistive technologies: field of technology that aims to produce devices that support/improve human abilities.

RESEARCH LINES AN TOPICS

The four research fields (Computational Neurosciences, Computational Neuropsychology, AI and Autonomous Robotics, Assistive Technologies) of LENAI approach specific research lines an topics. In particular:

Computational Neuroscience: “Chaotic neural networks” (see the coordinator’s webpage: Andrea Mattera):
- Habitual and goal-directed behaviour in bio-plausible chaotic networks
- Exploration/exploitation balancing in brain circuits
- Reservoir computing for reinforcement learning
- Key publications:
  - Cavallo A., Mattera A., Granato G., Baldassarre G. (2023). Emergence of neuronal ensembles in a chaotic corticostriatal circuit. Submitted to Conference on Cognitive Computational Neuroscience
Computational Neuropsychology/Psychiatry: “Representation manipulation and flexible human cognition” (see the coordinator’s webpage: Giovanni Granato):
- Executive Functions
- Consciousness
- Metacognition
- Inner-speech
- Key publications:
  - Granato, G., & Baldassarre, G. (2024). Bridging flexible goal-directed cognition and consciousness: The Goal-Aligning Representation Internal Manipulation theory. Neural Networks, 106292.
  - Granato, G., Borghi, A. M., Mattera, A., & Baldassarre, G. (2022). A computational model of inner speech supporting flexible goal-directed behaviour in Autism. Scientific reports, 12(1), 1-15. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-78252-y
  - Granato G, Cartoni E, Da Rold F, Mattera A, Baldassarre G (2022) Integrating unsupervised and reinforcement learning in human categorical perception: A computational model. PLoS ONE 17(5): e0267838.
  - Granato, G., & Baldassarre, G. (2021). Internal manipulation of perceptual representations in human flexible cognition: A computational model. Neural Networks, 143, 572-594. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0893608021002768
  - Granato, G., Borghi, A. M., & Baldassarre, G. (2020). A computational model of language functions in flexible goal-directed behaviour. Scientific reports, 10(1), 1-13.
  - Baldassarre, G., & Granato, G. (2020). Goal-Directed Manipulation of Internal Representations Is the Core of General-Domain Intelligence. Journal of Artificial General Intelligence, 11(2), 19-23.
AI and Autonomous Cognitive Robotics: “Open-Ended Learning Autonomous Robots” (see the coordinator’s webpage: Emilio Cartoni):
- Hierarchical architectures
- Intrinsic motivations
- Autonomous representation learning
- Key publications:
  - Baldassarre G., Montella D., Santucci V. G. & Cartoni E. (2021). REAL 2021 - Robot open-Ended Autonomous Learning: A Competition and Benchmark. IEEE International Conference on Development and Learning (ICDL2021), e1-8. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9515624
  - Cartoni, E., Montella, D., Triesch, J. & Baldassarre, G., (2022, in press). REAL-X - Robot open-Ended Autonomous Learning Architectures: Achieving Truly End-to-End Sensorimotor Autonomous Learning Systems. IEEE Transactions on Cognitive and Developmental Systems. https://arxiv.org/abs/2011.13880
Assistive Technologies: "Wearable/soft devices and Autism" (see the coordinators’ webpage: Valerio Sperati, Beste Ozcan):
- Devices for educational scopes and clinical conditions (e.g. Autism)
- Key publications:
  - Giocondo, F., Faedda, N., Cavalli, G., Sperati, V., Ozcan, B., Giovannone, F., ... & Baldassarre, G. (2022, April). Leveraging curiosity to encourage social interactions in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: preliminary results using the interactive toy PlusMe. In CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems Extended Abstracts (pp. 1-7). https://doi.org/10.1145/3491101.3519716
  - Özcan, B., Sperati, V., Giocondo, F., & Baldassarre, G. (2021). “X-8”: An Experimental Interactive Toy to Support Turn-Taking Games in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. In HCI International 2021-Posters: 23rd HCI International Conference, HCII 2021, Virtual Event, July 24–29, 2021, Proceedings, Part I 23 (pp. 233-239). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-78635-9_32
  - Sperati, V., Özcan, B., Romano, L., Moretta, T., Scaffaro, S., Faedda, N., ... & Baldassarre, G. (2020). Acceptability of the transitional wearable companion “+ me” in children with autism spectrum disorder: A comparative pilot study. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 951.
  - Ozcan, B., Sperati, V., Giocondo, F., Schembri, M., & Baldassarre, G. (2022, June). Interactive soft toys to support social engagement through sensory-motor plays in early intervention of kids with special needs. In Interaction Design and Children (pp. 625-628).

Transversal topics

Most of the research lines of LENAI involve key concepts:

Embodiment
Goal-directed behaviour
Learning

ON-GOING PROJECTS (for details, see the group's tab "Projects")

EBRAINS-Italy: “European Brain ReseArch INfrastructureS-Italy" (MUR PNRR-IR 0000011 - CUP B51E22000150006, 11/22 - 10/2025): EBRAINS-Italy is the Italian node of the EBRAINS European distributed infrastructure. The main objective is to bring together in a research infrastructure several groups of the highest scientific, technical, and organizational abilities in the field of experimental/theoretical neuroscience operating in Italy, integrating the activities in order to guarantee synergies and generate a substantial increase of scientific, industrial, and societal outcomes on the whole national territory.

Resources

This section is under construction. In particular, it is currently composed of resources that points both to LOCEN and LENAI. For further material, see the LOCEN page (tab "Resources").

LENAI IN THE WEB

In international and national media

JOINING LENAI, OR DOING A RESEARCH THESIS WITH IT

How to join the group

How to do a research thesis with LENAI, or propose a ''junior collaboration''

LABORATORIES

The work of the group is based on three labs:

iCubLab: Laboratory of Robotics

MechLab: Laboratory of Mechatronics

SimuLab: Laboratory of Computer Simulations

LEARNING PATHS FOR PEOPLE WISHING TO WORK WITH LENAI

Below we depict the ''learning paths'' that students and young researchrs should follow to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to work with LENAI.

The different paths depend on the different research interests of the person, covering a specific area of research of LENAI:

RESOURCES

Below we list links to our web-pages giving resources on work-tools used by LENAI:

Journals and conferences where to publish: robotics/alife/machine learning, psychology, neuroscience
Bying a computer to do research with LENAI
Operating systems: Linux
Programming fundamental principles independently of programming language:
- C++
- Python
- MATLAB
- R- Under construction
- SpineCreator
Simulators - Under construction
Formal methods:
- Mathematics - Under construction
Statistics and probability
AI, machine learning, robotics, and computational modelling
AI and machine learning
Robotics
Computational modelling
Natural intelligence
Psychology - Under construction
Neuroscience - Under construction
Other
Introductory Books on Cognitive Science, briefly commented by us
Various Tools
Data analysis
Bibliography
Writing a scientific paper
Presenting - Under construction
Reviewing a scientific paper - Under construction

Associates

This section is under construction. In particular, it currently shows collaborations that involved LOCEN and LENAI.

Collaborations outside ISTC

University of Massachusetts Amherst, Computer Science Department, USA (Collaboration on marchine learning, hierarchical reinforcement learning architectures for robots, intrinsically motivated cumulative learning machines)

Andrew Barto (Professor, Computer Science)
Bruno Castro da Silva (Postoc, Machine Learning and Robotics)

Technische Universitat Darmstadt, Autonomous Systems Laboratory, Germany (Collaboration on dynamic movement primitives and policy search reinforcement learning methods for the control of humanoid robots)

Prof. Jan Peters (Professor, Autonomous Robotics)

Frankfurt Institute of Advanced Studies, Germany (Collaboration on vision, attention, reinforcement leanring, and learning supported by intrinsic motivations)

Prof. Jochen Triesch (Professor, Robotics and Computational Neuroscience)

University of Plymouth, Computer Science, Plymouth, UK (Collaboration on Developmental Robotic issues: robot grounded cognition, robot planning, robot mental simulation, social scaffolding of robot learning)

Angelo Cangelosi (Professor, Developmental Robotics)

Laboratoire de Psychologie de la Perception, University René Descartes, Paris 5 (Collaboration on theoretical issues of developmental psychology and computational models of developmental psychology experiments)

Prof. Kevin O'Regan (Professor, ERC Advanced Grant FEEL, Developmental Psychology)

University of Sheffield, Department of Psychology, UK (Collaboration on theoretical neuroscience and computational system-level models of brain - basal-ganglia and cortex)

Peter Redgrave (Professor, Neuroscience)
Kevin Gurney (Professor, Computational System Neuroscience)

Italian Institute of Technology, Genoa, Italy (Collaborations centred on the iCub robot and involving hardware and open-ended learning robots)

Prof. Giorgio Metta (Professor, Head of the iCub Facility, Autonomous Robotics)

University "Campus Biomedico", Rome, Italy (Collaborations on robotic hardware and mechatronic devices, robot control, experiments with children on intrinsic motivations)

Eugenio Guglielmelli (Professor, Bio-Engineering)
Loredana Zollo (Associate Professor, Bio-Engineering)
Annalisa Ciancio (PhD student, Bio-Engineering)
University of Rome ''La Sapienza'', Rome, Italy

University "La Sapienza", Rome, Italy (Collaboration on theoretical neuroscience and psychobiological experiements with rats on instrumental learning and stress)

Stefano Puglisi Allegra (Professor, Psychobiology)
Simona Cabib (Professor, Psychobiology)

Collaborations within ISTC

Research Group GOAL (Goal-Oriented Agent Lab)

Giovanni Pezzulo (Researcher)

Luca Tummolini (Researcher)

Research Group UCP (Unit of Cognitive Primatology)

Elisabetta Visalberghi (Researcher Director)

Gloria Sabbatini (Researcher)

Valentina Truppa (Researcher)

Associated ISTC Members

Domenico Parisi (Associate ISTC Member)

Anna Borghi (Associate ISTC Member)

Visitors

Name: Kristsana Seepanomwan (PhD Student)

Istitute of origin: Department of Computer Science, University of Plymouth, Plymouth,UK

Period: 2 July 2012 - 12 July 2012

3 June 2013 - 26 July 2013

3 June 2014 - 31 July 2014

1 April 2015 - 26 June 2015

6 June 2016 - 30 June 2016

Name: Andrew Barto (Honorary Professor)

Instituite of Origin: Department of Computer Science, University of Massachussets AMHERST, Amherst, MA, USA

Periods:

22 September 2018 - 21 December 2018

01 September 2012 - 22 April 2013

Name: Bruno Castro da Silva (PhD Student)

Institute of Origin: Department of Computer Science, University of Massachussets AMHERST, Amherst, MA, USA

Periods:

06 December 2017 - 01 March 2018
31 May 2013 - 24 June 2013
02 November 2012 -29 January 2013
06 June 2011 - 23 August 2011

Name: Ansgar Koene (PhD Student)

Institute of Origin: Department of Psychology, Univesity of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK

Period: 26 May 2009 – 2 June 2009

Name: Rob Lowe (Post-Doc)

Institute of Origin: Cognitive Science, University of Skovde, Skovde, Sweden

Period: 6 April 2009 – 9 May 2009

Contacts

Contacts

LENAI offers specific contacts for specific purposes (administration, collaborations, theses, etc.). Please choose the contact that best suits your interests:

Principal Investigator and administrative staff:
- Gianluca Baldassarre (Principal Investigator, gianluca.baldassarre@istc.cnr.it): fundings, grants, collaborations
- Luisa di Muzio (Administrative staff, marialuisa.dimuzio@istc.cnr.it@istc.cnr.it): contracts, calls, tenders

Research coordinators:
- Andrea Mattera (Research Coordinator; andrea.mattera@istc.cnr.it): collaborations and theses in "Computational Neuroscience" (topics: bio-plausible chaotic networks and action selection)
- Giovanni Granato (Research Coordinator; giovanni.granato@istc.cnr.it): collaborations and theses in "Computational Neuropsychology/Psychiatry" (topics: Executive Functions, Consciousness, Metacognition, Inner-speech)
- Emilio Cartoni (Research Coordinator; emilio.cartoni@istc.cnr.it): collaborations and theses in "AI and Autonomous Cognitive Robotics" (topics: Open-ended learning, Intrinsic motivations, Machine-learning in Robotics)
- Valerio Sperati, Beste Ozcan (Research Coordinators; valerio.sperati@istc.cnr.it, beste.ozcan@istc.cnr.it): collaborations and theses in "Assistive Technologies" (topics: Devices for educational scopes and clinical conditions, e.g. Autism)

How to get to the ISTC-CNR: directions, maps, hotels

DIRECTIONS

From the airport “Roma Fiumicino”

This is the main airport of Rome (see map below). Follow the indications for the train terminal inside the airport. At the train terminal, buy the tickets at the ticket office for the train “Leonardo Express” to “Roma Termini” central station, where you have to get off (last stop). The ticket can be purchased at the ticket office, at the news agents and at the automatic ticket machines (cost: 11 euros). The train runs from 6.30 am to 11.30 pm, and departs every 30 minutes. Once at Termini Station, you can reach ISTC-CNR on foot (10 minutes, see map below) or take the subway. To take the subway, look for signs of subway B, Rebibbia direction (“Metro B, direzione Rebibbia”; Rome has only two subway lines, A and B.). Buy tickets from the automatic ticket machines (cost: 1 euro). Get off after one stop at subway stop “Castro Pretorio”. ISTC-CNR, a brown historical two-floor building, is round the corner of this subway stop at the beginning of Via S. Martino della Battaglia, at the entrance number 44 (see map below).

If you want to spend less money for the train, at Fiumicino airport take the train to “Roma Tiburtina”, where you get off (the trip takes about 45 minutes as this is a local train; this is usually not the last stop). At the train terminal, you can buy the ticket for this train (cost: 4.5 euros). Once at Tiburtina Station (the second biggest station in Rome), take the subway B, Laurentina direction (“Metro B, direzione Laurentina”). Get off at subway stop “Castro Pretorio”. As explained above, ISTC-CNR is round the corner of this subway stop.

The taxi from Fiumicino airport to Rome costs about 40 euros (supplements might be asked for luggage, night-time runs and public holidays) and the trip takes approximately 45 minutes.

From the airport “Roma Ciampino”

This is the second airport of Rome, and is very small. It is closer to Rome than Fiumicino airport (see maps below). Get out of the airport terminal and ask the bus drivers standing outside, near the buses you see once out, about a bus that takes you to Anagnina Subway Station (“Stazione della Metropolitana Anagnina”). The subway of Anagnina Station is on the subway line A. Once at Anagnina Station, buy a ticket from the automatic ticket machines or the news agents (cost: 1 euro). At Anagnina Station, take the subway A to Roma Termini Station. Once at Termini Station, you can reach ISTC-CNR on foot (10 minutes away, see map below) or take the subway. Otherwise, switch subway line to subway B following the signs for “Metro B, direzione Rebibbia”. Get off after one stop at subway stop “Castro Pretorio”. ISTC-CNR, a brown historical two-floor building, is round the corner of this subway stop at the beginning of Via S. Martino della Battaglia, at the entrance number 44 (see map below).

Taxis from Ciampino airport to ISTC-CNR charge about 30 euros, and take about 20 minutes to get there.

MAPS

Rome has two airports, "Fiumicino" and "Ciampino". ISTC-CNR is situated at the center of Rome:

ISTC-CNR is at "Via San Martino della Battaglia 44", one subway stop from central Termini Station (subway B, stop Castro Pretorio):

HOTELS

Hotels close to ISTC-CNR

Hotel Villafranca (4 stars), Via Villafranca 9, tel: +39-06-4440364

Hotel Champagne Garden (4 stars), Via Vittorio Bachelet 4, tel: +39-06 -4927209

Artdeco Hotel (4 stars), Via Palestro 19, tel: +39-06-4457588

Hotel S. Marco (3 stars), Via Villafranca 1, tel: +39-06-490437

Hotel Piemonte (3 stars), Via Vicenza 32/a, tel: +39-06-4452240

Hotel Montecarlo (3 stars), Via Palestro 17/a, tel: +39-06-4460000

Hotel Astoria, (3 stars), Via Vittorio Bachelet 8, tel: +39-06-4469908

Hotel Lux (3 stars), Via Gaeta 14, tel: +39-06-4441692

Hotel Brasile (3 stars), Via Palestro 13, tel: +39-06-4819486

Hotel Villa delle Rose srl (3 stars), Via Vicenza 5, tel: +39-06-4451795

Hotel Dolomiti - Sada sas (3 stars), Via San Martino della Battaglia 11, tel: +39-06-491058 or +39-06-4957256

Hotel Fiamma (3 stars), Via Gaeta 61, tel: +39-06-4818436 or +39-06-4818912

Hotel Siviglia (3 stars), Via Gaeta 12, tel: +39-06-4441197 or +39-06-4441198

Windrose Hotel (3 stars), Via Gaeta 39, tel: +39-06-4821913

Hotel Fiume (3 stars), Via Brescia 5, tel: +39-06-8543000

Hotel Sunrise (3 stars), Via Cilento 3, tel: +39-06-82011093

Hotel Virginia (2 stars), Via Montebello 94, tel: +39-06-4457689

Hotel Mirage (2 stars) , Via Milazzo 6, tel: +39-06-4455661 or +39-06-4463124

Hotel Marco Polo (2 stars), Via Magenta 39, tel: +39-06-44704478 or +39-06-4474091

Solomon Hotels (2 stars), Via Palestro 9, tel: +39-06-4465890, +39-06-44703927 or +39-06-484940

Hotel dell'Urbe (2 stars), Via dei Mille 27/a, tel: +39-06-4455767

Hotels in the historic centre of Rome

Grand Hotel Plaza (5 stars) Via del Corso 126, tel +39-06-69921111, +39-06-69941575

Hotel Colonna Palace (4 stars) P. Monte Citorio 12, tel. +39-06-675191

Hotel Piranesi (4 stars) Via del Babbuino 196, tel +39-06-328041

Hotel Carriage (3 stars) Via delle Carrozze 36, tel. +39-06-6990124

Hotel del Corso (3 stars) Via del Corso, 79, tel. +39-06-36006233, 06-36006041

Hotel Madrid (3 stars) Via M. de Fiori 93-95, tel +39-06-6991510

Members

Coordinatore

Gianluca Baldassarre

Gianluca Baldassarre's picture

Researcher

Giovanni Granato

Giovanni Granato's picture

Beste Ozcan's picture

Emilio Cartoni's picture

Valerio Sperati

Valerio Sperati's picture

Andrea Mattera's picture

Student&PhD

Valerio Alfieri

Valerio Alfieri's picture

Giampiero Bartolomei

Giampiero Bartolomei's picture

Associate Researcher

Mario Merone's picture

Administrative

Maria Luisa Di Muzio

Maria Luisa Di Muzio's picture

Technician

Federico Cecconi

Federico Cecconi's picture

Projects

EBRAINS-Italy - European Brain ReseArch INfrastructureS-Italy

Project Funding:

Other - National

Project Timeframe:

01 Oct 2023 to 30 Apr 2025

ISTC Contact Person:

Gianluca Baldassarre

Group & ISTC Labs:

Laboratory of Embodied Natural and Artificial Intelligence

FlightAI - Flight plan artificial intelligence assistant

Project Funding:

FP - European Framework Programmes

Project Timeframe:

01 Sep 2021 to 31 May 2023

ISTC Contact Person:

Gianluca Baldassarre

Group & ISTC Labs:

Laboratory of Computational Embodied Neuroscience

Laboratory of Embodied Natural and Artificial Intelligence

GROW - General-purpose Robot for Object-retrieval in Warehouses

Project Funding:

FP - European Framework Programmes

Project Timeframe:

01 Sep 2021 to 28 Feb 2023

ISTC Contact Person:

Gianluca Baldassarre

Group & ISTC Labs:

Laboratory of Computational Embodied Neuroscience

Laboratory of Embodied Natural and Artificial Intelligence

GROW-HBP

Project Funding:

Other - International

Project Timeframe:

01 Jun 2021 to 30 Sep 2023

ISTC Contact Person:

Gianluca Baldassarre

Group & ISTC Labs:

Laboratory of Computational Embodied Neuroscience

Laboratory of Embodied Natural and Artificial Intelligence

IM-TWIN: from Intrinsic Motivations to Transitional Wearable INtelligent companions for autism spectrum disorder

Project Funding:

FP - European Framework Programmes

Project Timeframe:

01 Nov 2020 to 31 Oct 2023

ISTC Contact Person:

Gianluca Baldassarre

Group & ISTC Labs:

Laboratory of Computational Embodied Neuroscience

Laboratory of Embodied Natural and Artificial Intelligence

PlusMe: Transitional Wearable Companions for the therapy with children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Project Funding:

FP - European Framework Programmes

Project Timeframe:

01 Sep 2020 to 28 Feb 2022

ISTC Contact Person:

Gianluca Baldassarre

Group & ISTC Labs:

Laboratory of Computational Embodied Neuroscience

Laboratory of Embodied Natural and Artificial Intelligence

ARIS - Artificial Intelligence skills for ICT professionals

Project Funding:

Other - International

Project Timeframe:

01 Jan 2020 to 28 Feb 2022

ISTC Contact Person:

Gianluca Baldassarre

Group & ISTC Labs:

Laboratory of Computational Embodied Neuroscience

Laboratory of Embodied Natural and Artificial Intelligence

+me

Project Funding:

Other - National

Project Timeframe:

05 Nov 2018 to 21 Oct 2020

ISTC Contact Person:

Valerio Sperati

Group & ISTC Labs:

Laboratory of Computational Embodied Neuroscience

Laboratory of Embodied Natural and Artificial Intelligence

MetaBot. Robotic embodiment of a meta-learning neural model of human decision-making

Project Funding:

Other - International

Project Timeframe:

01 May 2018 to 30 Apr 2020

ISTC Contact Person:

Massimo Silvetti

Group & ISTC Labs:

Laboratory of Computational Embodied Neuroscience

Laboratory of Embodied Natural and Artificial Intelligence

GOAL-Robots: Goal-based Open-ended Autonomous Learning Robots

Project Funding:

FP - European Framework Programmes

Project Timeframe:

01 Nov 2016 to 30 Apr 2021

ISTC Contact Person:

Gianluca Baldassarre

Group & ISTC Labs:

Laboratory of Computational Embodied Neuroscience

Laboratory of Embodied Natural and Artificial Intelligence