Barbara Mazzolai and Marco Camisani Calzolari will be featured in two key events on October 10 and 11 to explore “embodied intelligence” and the challenges of AI.
Ahead of the fifth edition of the Pianeta Terra Festival (Lucca, October 8–11) — directed by Stefano Mancuso, conceived and organized by Editori Laterza, and promoted by the Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Lucca — the main highlights of the program are taking shape.
Under the theme “Forms of Intelligence,” the 2026 edition will feature over 90 sessions with scientists, neuroscientists, philosophers, economists, geopolitical experts, writers, and artists brought together to explore the future. In this framework, Sofidel – the event’s Main Sponsor for the fifth consecutive year – is promoting two dedicated sessions to explore how bio-inspired robotics and artificial intelligence are reshaping our present and future.
The sessions curated by Sofidel will feature Barbara Mazzolai and Marco Camisani Calzolari.
SAVE THE DATE
Solo Talk: “Intelligent Bodies and Thinking Machines” with Barbara Mazzolai
When: Saturday, October 10, 6:00 PM
Where: Church of San Francesco, Lucca
Barbara Mazzolai, Director of the Bioinspired Soft Robotics Laboratory at the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT) and one of Italy’s leading scientists, will speak on “Intelligent Bodies and Thinking Machines.” For a long time, science strictly separated mind and body, viewing intelligence as independent of the physical form housing it. In living systems, this separation does not exist: how every organism perceives, acts, and makes decisions is deeply influenced by its structure, its component materials, and its surrounding environment. From this observation stems the concept of “embodied intelligence,” which Mazzolai will address by highlighting its implications for robot design.
Focus Session: “Artificial Intelligence: Instructions for Use” with Marco Camisani Calzolari
When: Sunday, October 11, 11:45 AM
Where: Botanical Garden, Lucca
Marco Camisani Calzolari – digital communication expert and university professor – will deliver the Focus session “Artificial Intelligence: Instructions for Use.” Artificial intelligence is a powerful tool already transforming work, communication, and daily decision-making. Camisani Calzolari will guide the audience through the inner workings of AI – how it operates, what it can truly accomplish, and where it fails – to help listeners navigate today’s technological and ethical debates with greater awareness.
Both events will also be broadcast live via streaming on www.pianetaterrafestival.it.
SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES
BARBARA MAZZOLAI
A biologist with a Ph.D. in Microsystems Engineering and an International Master’s in Eco-Management from the Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna in Pisa, she directs the Center for Micro-BioRobotics at the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Pontedera. As part of the European FET (Future and Emerging Technologies) program, she coordinated the creation of the Plantoid, the world’s first robot inspired by plant roots, with applications ranging from space exploration and micro-surgery to environmental monitoring. Today, she coordinates the European Grow-Bot projects, developing smart and sustainable technologies inspired by climbing plants, as well as the I-Seed project, which aims to develop seed-inspired robots for environmental monitoring. Her first book is La natura geniale (2019).
MARCO CAMISANI CALZOLARI
A pioneer of the Italian digital ecosystem, he serves as an Expert for the Department for Digital Transformation and is one of the 13 members of the Prime Minister’s Office AI Committee tasked with updating Italy’s National AI Strategy. He contributed to defining the European Code of Conduct for the AI Act and serves as an Expert for the National Cybersecurity Agency. Founder of Cyber-Humanism and professor at the Vita-Salute San Raffaele University in Milan, he is also an author followed by over 2 million people on social media, generating 25 million monthly views.
Photo/Sofidel
