Fondazione Mondo Digitale awards Clemente Lauretti "most promising researcher in robotics and AI"

Awards ceremony yesterday in the Sala Esedra of the Capitoline Museums for the third edition of the Most Promising Researcher in Robotics and Artificial Intelligence award, promoted with the Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome and the University of Roma Tre as part of the RomeCup 2025.

The award, which recognizes the passion, dedication, perseverance, vision, creativity and talent of young people working in Italian research centers and universities, received 270 applications, from which 11 finalists were selected.

This year, the €20,000 award was given to Clemente Lauretti , a researcher at the Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome, for having developed an integrated platform for robot-assisted spinal surgery that combines cooperative human-robot controls, real-time 3D reconstruction, and artificial intelligence for the precise planning and execution of spinal interventions.

The technology, Lauretti explains, aims to reduce variability between operators, increasing safety, efficiency and precision. The system has been tested on anatomical models and animal vertebrae. Preclinical phases are underway in collaboration with surgical teams. The project is designed to be modular and scalable, with potential applications in other orthopedic disciplines.

Lauretti coordinated the design of robotic modules, surgical interfaces and intelligent intraoperative guidance algorithms. The project expresses an advanced vision of augmented surgery, which integrates artificial intelligence to support the clinical gesture, improve patient outcomes and reduce the margins of error in the most delicate operations.

The other finalists

Veronica Bartolucci - Università Politecnica delle Marche - for the development of MAXFISH, a mathematical model for managing the timing and synchronization of fish-robot swarms in marine environments. The model has been validated through simulations, and tests on single robots and small swarms are underway. Potential applications include marine patrolling, environmental monitoring, and data collection in hard-to-reach areas.

Pietro Bilancia - University of Modena and Reggio Emilia - for the development of software tools, analytical models and testing systems, integrating design, simulation and experimentation in the field of industrial robotics and yielding mechanisms for intelligent automation.

Valentina Cesari - IMT Alti Studi Lucca, University of Pisa - for CYBORG, which analyzes the interaction between cognitive factors, embodiment and sensory substitution in the teleoperation of robotic systems and virtual environments. The goal is to understand and improve human behavior during the remote control of robotic devices, through the customization of interfaces and the development of tools for the evaluation of the cognitive and perceptive characteristics of operators.

Valerio Guarrasi - Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome - for Virtual Scanner, a platform based on generative artificial intelligence for the creation of high-fidelity synthetic radiological images. The system allows, for example, to generate PET images from pre-existing CT scans, overcoming limits related to the availability of machinery, costs or risks for the patient. The goal is to democratize access to advanced imaging, integrating Medical Digital Twin approaches for predictive and personalized medicine.

Vittoria Laghi - University of Bologna - for LATTICE, which explores the potential of metal 3D printing for the construction of sustainable building structures. Using Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) technology, Laghi has developed an automated design process based on generative algorithms, which allows to optimize geometries and reduce the use of material without compromising structural stability.

Pietro Mascagni - Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore - led the software design, the collection of annotated clinical data and the development of the AI ​​architecture of a software to prevent errors in the operating room. The system, conceived as a "digital co-pilot", is able to identify surgical phases, instruments and anatomies, suggesting safer choices to the operator.

Simone Mentasti - Politecnico di Milano - for the development of a distributed urban monitoring system for pedestrian and cyclist safety, based on smart sensors, edge computing and deep learning algorithms. Designed to enhance ADAS systems and integrate smart cities with predictive features for the safe management of urban crossings.

Christian Tamantini - National Research Council (CNR), Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, for the development of an intelligent robotic system for neuromotor rehabilitation, capable of adapting in real time to the patient's physiological state. The system integrates a deliberative control logic and a multilevel architecture that combines machine learning and continuous sensory interaction. The solution offers personalized support, reducing dependence on human operators and improving therapeutic results.

Selene Tomassini - University of Trento - for the development of an automatic reporting system for emergency brain CT scans, designed to support radiologists in high-pressure settings, such as emergency rooms. The architecture combines CNN networks, LSTMs and language models to generate consistent reports that comply with clinical standards. The system is open source and has demonstrated high effectiveness in generating semantic reports on cerebral hemorrhage cases.

Konstantinos Zormpas-Petridis - Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS for the development of artificial intelligence models to drastically reduce the execution time of MRI and replace, in some cases, the need for invasive biopsies. His algorithms combine deep learning, radiomics analysis and uncertainty estimation techniques.