Interactive, Adaptive Robot Helps Children with Autism

A group of mechanical engineers and autism experts at Vanderbilt University have developed an elaborate system of cameras, sensors, and computers designed specifically to help children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) learn how to coordinate their attention with other people and objects in their environment. This basic social skill is called joint attention. NAO, a two-foot tall humanoid robot, is the 'front man' for their new system. NAO has been programmed with a series of verbal prompts, such as "look over here," and gestures, such as looking and pointing at flat panel displays. Cameras track the child's head movements, so the system can determine where he or she is looking. The researchers say that children with ASD paid more attention to the robot and followed its instructions almost as well as they did those of a human therapist in standard exercises used to develop joint attention skill.

Transcript

00:00:00 [Music] I see beautiful colors I see lights it's a different world it can be so very different for children like three-year-old Aiden hi Aiden budy Aiden and his twin brother Beck have autism spectrum disorder each affected in a different way Aiden likes to play and there's a new playmate a twoot robot

00:00:39 hien my name is now and this special robot plays back I want you to find some things it's in an interactive room monitors show pictures and videos an infrared lights on Aiden's hat signal to cameras around the room when he responds telling the robot to change its reply Aiden look good job we demonstrated that if the children were really more interested

00:01:11 towards the robot than human therapies then the robot might be able to use this engagement to some beneficial activities the study found that young autistic children spent significantly more time looking at the robot than a typically developing child did Aiden look at it and capturing attention is critical for early intervention treatment to pull

00:01:37 that attention to that humanoid robot to build up some of these skills such as following the robot's gaze following the point then we're able to work with that and transfer it over to humans let's do some more Aiden look good job the robot therapy would not take the place of a therapist but but it creates another treatment tool good

00:02:06 job it might make intervention more accessible to some individuals during times where they might be waiting for other services see you later all right you did so well thank you so much Aiden the hope is that child's play with a robot helps improve life for Aiden and others like him thank you yeah bye bye thank you very much Miss

00:02:33 Amy bye you in Nashville Barb creamer reporting