Sofia Almpani

Prof. Sofia Almpani

National Technical University of Athens
orcid

Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

9Years (2018-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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16 March 2021 in Sensors
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
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Kostas NizamisKostas Nizamis
Kostas Nizamis
Alkinoos AthanasiouAlkinoos Athanasiou
Alkinoos Athanasiou
Sofia AlmpaniSofia Almpani
Sofia Almpani
CDChristos Dimitrousis
Christos Dimitrousis
Alexander AstarasAlexander Astaras
Alexander Astaras
Recent advances in the field of neural rehabilitation, facilitated through technological innovation and improved neurophysiological knowledge of impaired motor control, have opened up new research directions. Such advances increase the relevance of existing interventions, as well as allow novel methodologies and technological synergies. New approaches attempt to partially overcome long-term disability caused by spinal cord injury, using either invasive bridging technologies or noninvasive human–machine interfaces. Muscular dystrophies benefit from electromyography and novel sensors that shed light on underlying neuromotor mechanisms in people with Duchenne. Novel wearable robotics devices are being tailored to specific patient populations, such as traumatic brain injury, stroke, and amputated individuals. In addition, developments in robot-assisted rehabilitation may enhance motor learning and generate movement repetitions by decoding the brain activity of patients during therapy. This is further facilitated by artificial intelligence algorithms coupled with faster electronics. The practical impact of integrating such technologies with neural rehabilitation treatment can be substantial. They can potentially empower nontechnically trained individuals—namely, family members and professional carers—to alter the programming of neural rehabilitation robotic setups, to actively get involved and intervene promptly at the point of care. This narrative review considers existing and emerging neural rehabilitation technologies through the perspective of replacing or restoring functions, enhancing, or improving natural neural output, as well as promoting or recruiting dormant neuroplasticity. Upon conclusion, we discuss the future directions for neural rehabilitation research, diagnosis, and treatment based on the discussed technologies and their major roadblocks. This future may eventually become possible through technological evolution and convergence of mutually beneficial technologies to create hybrid solutions.

28 September 2023 in Foundations of Science
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Journal Article
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Sofia AlmpaniSofia Almpani
Sofia Almpani
PSPetros Stefaneas
Petros Stefaneas
This paper explores the relationship between informal reasoning, creativity in mathematics, and problem solving. It underscores the importance of environments that promote interaction, hypothesis generation, examination, refutation, derivation of new solutions, drawing conclusions, and reasoning with others, as key factors in enhancing mathematical creativity. Drawing on argumentation logic, the paper proposes a novel approach to uncover specific characteristics in the development of formalized proving using “proof-events.” Argumentation logic can offer reasoning mechanisms that facilitate these environments. This paper proposes how argumentation can be implemented to discover certain characteristics in the development of formalized proving with “proof-events”. The concept of a proof-event was introduced by Goguen who described mathematical proof as a multi-agent social event involving not only “classical” formal proofs, but also other informal proving actions such as deficient or alleged proofs. Argumentation is an integral component of the discovery process for a mathematical proof since a proof necessitates a dialogue between provers and interpreters to clarify and resolve gaps or assumptions. By formalizing proof-events through argumentation, this paper demonstrates how informal reasoning and conflicts arising during the proving process can be effectively simulated. The paper presents an extended version of the proof-events calculus, rooted in argumentation theories, and highlights the intricate relationships among proof, human reasoning, cognitive processes, creativity, and mathematical arguments.

8 June 2023 in Global Philosophy
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Sofia AlmpaniSofia Almpani
Sofia Almpani
PSPetros Stefaneas
Petros Stefaneas
IVIoannis Vandoulakis
Ioannis Vandoulakis
Proof requires a dialogue between agents to clarify obscure inference steps, fill gaps, or reveal implicit assumptions in a purported proof. Hence, argumentation is an integral component of the discovery process for mathematical proofs. This work presents how argumentation theories can be applied to describe specific informal features in the development of proof-events. The concept of proof-event was coined by Goguen who described mathematical proof as a public social event that takes place in space and time. This new meta-methodological concept is designed to cover not only “traditional” formal proofs but all kinds of proofs and inference steps, including incomplete or purported proofs. Our approach attempts to make proof-events more comprehensive to express the complete trajectory of a mathematical proof-event until the ultimate validation of the proving outcome. Thus, we advance an extended version of proof-event calculus which is built on argumentation theories designed to capture the internal and external structure of collaborative mathematical practice and highlight the relationship between proof, human reasoning, and cognitive processes. In addition, another area in which argumentation can make a significant contribution is dealing with the defeasible knowledge of the Web which is a product of its open and ubiquitous nature. This approach seems to be sufficient for the presentation of Web-based proving processes as manifested in the case of the Mini-Polymath 4 project.

28 February 2022 in International Journal on Artificial Intelligence Tools
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Journal Article
Closed access
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Sofia AlmpaniSofia Almpani
Sofia Almpani
YKYiannis Kiouvrekis
Yiannis Kiouvrekis
PSPetros Stefaneas
Petros Stefaneas
PFPanayiotis Frangos
Panayiotis Frangos

1 December 2022 in Studia Humana
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Journal Article
Open access
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Sofia AlmpaniSofia Almpani
Sofia Almpani
PSPetros Stefaneas
Petros Stefaneas
Panayiotis FrangosPanayiotis Frangos
Panayiotis Frangos
As automation in artificial intelligence is increasing, we will need to automate a growing amount of ethical decision making. However, ethical decision- making raises novel challenges for engineers, ethicists and policymakers, who will have to explore new ways to realize this task. The presented work focuses on the development and formalization of models that aim at ensuring a correct ethical behaviour of artificial intelligent agents, in a provable way, extending and implementing a logic-based proving calculus that is based on argumentation reasoning with support and attack arguments. This leads to a formal theoretical framework of ethical competence that could be implemented in artificial intelligent systems in order to best formalize certain parameters of ethical decision-making to ensure safety and justified trust.

1 January 2023 in International Journal of Extreme Automation and Connectivity in Healthcare
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Journal Article
Open access
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Sofia AlmpaniSofia Almpani
Sofia Almpani
PSPetros Stefaneas
Petros Stefaneas
PFPanayiotis Frangos
Panayiotis Frangos
As automation in robotics and artificial intelligence is increasing, we will need to automate a growing amount of ethical decision making. However, ethical decision-making raises novel challenges for designers, engineers, ethicists, and policymakers, who will have to explore new ways to realize this task. For example, engineers building wearable robots should take into consideration privacy aspects and their different context-based scenarios when programming the decision-making procedures. This in turn requires ethical input in order to respect norms concerning privacy and informed consent. The presented work focuses on the development and formalization of models that aim at ensuring a correct ethical behavior of artificial intelligent agents, in a provable way, extending and implementing a logic-based proving calculus. This leads to a formal theoretical framework of moral competence that could be implemented in artificial intelligent systems in order to best formalize certain parameters of ethical decision-making to ensure safety and justified trust.