Assistive robotics as therapy for autistic children
Journal
learning
Date Issued
2016
Author(s)
Tanevska, Ana
Abstract
Assistive technology encompasses in its domain all
rehabilitative tech, be it software or hardware, that works on
improving quality of life for physically and mentally disabled
people. Unlike creating assistive devices for people with physical
disabilities, developing treatments for people with cognitive
impairments is a very difficult task, due to the fact that cognitive
disorders manifest differently from one group of people to
another. One such specific group are children with Autism
Spectrum Disorder (ASD). ASD is a condition that affects normal
socio-emotional development in early childhood and causes
difficulties with learning. One kind of treatment that has proven
itself as particularly effective for young autistic children is robotassisted therapy (RAT), which involves a robotic element – this
can be robotic toys, robotic platforms, humanoid robots – with
the purpose of making the learning process easier for these
children. This paper elaborates on several different approaches
for implementing robots in autism therapy, gives an overview on
several RAT studies done in the world, and presents our work
done in implementing a NAO humanoid robot in a research
experiment with children on the autism spectrum.
rehabilitative tech, be it software or hardware, that works on
improving quality of life for physically and mentally disabled
people. Unlike creating assistive devices for people with physical
disabilities, developing treatments for people with cognitive
impairments is a very difficult task, due to the fact that cognitive
disorders manifest differently from one group of people to
another. One such specific group are children with Autism
Spectrum Disorder (ASD). ASD is a condition that affects normal
socio-emotional development in early childhood and causes
difficulties with learning. One kind of treatment that has proven
itself as particularly effective for young autistic children is robotassisted therapy (RAT), which involves a robotic element – this
can be robotic toys, robotic platforms, humanoid robots – with
the purpose of making the learning process easier for these
children. This paper elaborates on several different approaches
for implementing robots in autism therapy, gives an overview on
several RAT studies done in the world, and presents our work
done in implementing a NAO humanoid robot in a research
experiment with children on the autism spectrum.
Subjects
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