Robots as embodied beings - interactionally sensitive body movements in interactions among autistic children and a robot

Abstract

-The general context of the work presented in this paper is assistive robotics with our long-term aim to support children with autism. This paper is part of an investigation into what ways and to what extent a robot can assume the role of a social mediator -encouraging autistic children to interact with the robot, with each other and with co-present adults. The article provides a case study evaluation of segments of trials where four children with autism interacted with a robot as well as with each other. It focuses primarily on the ways in which the autistic children were found to skilfully orientate and reorientate their bodies in a way that was sensitive to the activities of the adult (such as requests and adjustments to the robot), the robot (its position and movement) and another child. Results are presented using an analysis of interaction informed by conversation analytic principles. The analysis showed how the children exhibited interaction skills where the robot served as a salient object mediating joint attention with other children.

Engaging Autistic Children in Imitation and Turn-Taking Games with Multiagent System of Interactive Lighting Blocks

“…Teaching of socially relevant behavior to children through games with robotic toys is an area of emerging interest [3,4,6,9,21,25]. By robotic toys we understand autonomous robots and tangibles that are equipped with sensors and actuators, mediated by a computational device.…”

“…By robotic toys we understand autonomous robots and tangibles that are equipped with sensors and actuators, mediated by a computational device. They can perceive and act upon the surrounding environment that may include other robotic toys or humans and in this way they have the affordance to be used as a mediator of play and education [3,4,6,9,21,24,25,26].…”

“…A number of robotic toys, both with and without anthropomorphic or zoomorphic shape have been used in games with autistic children [5,7,9,20,21,22,25,26]. The autonomous robotic toys in these studies, perform simple behavior (as for instance lifting of a hand) that aims to provoke reciprocal human reaction [9,10,21], to predict the position or the direction of the movement which is referred to as predicting motor intentions [5,9,21,29], and become a mediator of play [3,6,26].…”

“…Robotic toys have been shown to engage children with autism at various age levels [3,16,25,27] because of their predictable and controlled behavior, their physical embodiment and because of the appeal that computerized games have to people with autism. Tangibles, in particular, have been shown to support collaboration by typical children [8,17].…”

Psychophysiological analysis of a pedagogical agent and robotic peer for individuals with autism spectrum disorders.

“…teacher, parent) or child (e.g., peer, typical child) [91,111]. Keepon has been utilized to improve basic JA skills in autistic children through certain play scenarios.…”