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GLOBAL
OBSERVATORY
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CARE

Part of the International Long-Term Care Policy Network (ILPN)

 

Sara Canella

EHTEL

Sara Canella

My name is Sara Canella, I am Italian and have a background in Sociological Sciences and a deep passion for languages, innovation, inclusion, and environmental issues. After university, I spent 10 years abroad between Ireland and Spain, earning a Master’s in European Studies and discovering my passion for European project design.

In 2013, I returned to Italy and began working with SOLWA, an innovative startup recognized by the UN, where I managed international partnerships and EU funding for technological development. I continued this work after SOLWA was acquired by Santex Rimar Group, focusing on marketing and research funding.

Since 2017, I’ve been working as a freelancer, supporting companies and organizations on projects related to ICT, Smart Industry, Circular Economy, and Social Innovation. I’m also pursuing a postgraduate degree in Environmental Anthropology at Ca’ Foscari University, researching the acceptance of digital technologies in healthcare. I collaborate with NSBproject, EHTEL, and ProMIS on project development, training, and exploitation activities.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Countries Italy;
Topics Artificial Intelligence; Care innovations; Dementia care and support; Information and data systems in LTC; New models of care; Social Innovation in LTC; Technology and LTC;
Methods Case studies; Creative research methods; Ethnography; Focus groups; Literature reviews and synthesis; Observational studies; Pilot study; Qualitative studies; Questionnaire; Scoping reviews; Social network analysis; Surveys;
Role Research;
Interest Groups Ageing and Place; Care home markets and regulation; Climate Change and LTC; Community-based approaches to dementia care; Data Science; Integrated Long-Term Care; Long-Term Care Policy; Strengthening Responses to Dementia; Technology and Long-Term Care; Workforce Capacity and Capability; Working Conditions and Wages in Long-Term Care;
Websitehttps://saracanella.com/
LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/sara-canella/
Research interests

I am researching the integration of digital technologies, AI-based technologies and social robots in healthcare settings.
My focus is on understanding how these tools affect human relationships and emotional dynamics in care environments.
I explore the acceptance, perception, and emotional responses of different stakeholders—healthcare workers, patients, and caregivers.
Through ethnographic methods and semi-structured interviews, I collect data on lived experiences and emotional reactions.
I examine the development of attachments to robots and perceptions of the human-machine boundary.
The goal is to identify fears, barriers, and expectations related to the use of AI in healthcare.
I also explore how these technologies reshape care in a post-human context.
Ultimately, my research aims to inform more empathetic, ethical, and sustainable integration of AI in health systems.
Key publications

Perception and acceptability of social robots in healthcare: ethnographic research based on a qualitative case study

Medical care is changing, driven both by necessity as well as innovation. The European healthcare sector’s digital transformation involves the rapid adoption of advanced technologies such as AI, robotics, autonomous systems, and Big Data. The study “Perception and acceptability of social robots in healthcare: ethnographic research based on a qualitative case study” investigates interaction with and acceptability of social robots in a pilot project based in Maribor Hospital, as a part of the European HosmartAI project. These robots functioned largely to assist patients and as “administrative support” for the nurses and doctors. This study focuses on the interactions of healthcare personnel with robots, including any emotions or fears and barriers that arose. The goal was to understand robot acceptance and challenges from a human-centric and individual perspective, focussing on key stakeholders that both use and develop these robots. All stakeholders are part of HosmartAI Living Labs, which works through collaboration to design and deliver advanced technologies.

Keywords: social robots; artificial intelligence; healthcare; digital skills; technology acceptance; smart hospital.

https://www.francoangeli.it/riviste/articolo/75607