ARIEL (Assessing childRen manIpulation and Exploration skiLls)

ARIEL is an ERC Proof of Concept project aimed at finalizing, clinically validating, and commercializing myCube—a multisensory device designed to assess and train haptic and manipulation skills in both children and adults. MyCube is a lightweight, sensorized cube that detects its spatial orientation, the position, and pressure of tactile contact points on its surfaces. It provides vibratory and auditory feedback, with raised patterns on its silicon faces for haptic exploration. The cube’s design allows for easy customization of tactile stimuli, offering simple substitution of the patterned surfaces.

In the ARIEL project, I am responsible for overseeing the certification process to classify myCube as a Medical Device. I also lead the Software Architecture and Development efforts, which include creating the User Interface for clinicians to collect data and developing machine learning algorithms for post-hoc analysis, generating insightful metrics from the recorded data.

I collaborate closely with Dr. Francesca Tinelli’s team at IRCSS Stella Maris (Pisa) to validate myCube as an effective tool for assessing the manipulation skills of primary-school children diagnosed with diplegia and hemiplegia.