Robotic Rabbit Companions: amusing or a nuisance?

Most of the studies in human-robot interaction involve controlled experiments in a laboratory and only a limited number of studies have put robotic companions into people’s home. Introducing robots into a real-life environment does not only pose many technical challenges but also raises several methodological issues. And even though there might be a gain in ecological validity of the findings, there are other drawbacks that limit the validity of the results. In this paper we reflect on some of these issues based on the experience we gained in the SERA project where a robotic companion was put in the homes of a few people for ten days. We try to draw some general lessons from this experience

Human-Robot Interaction for Children with Cerebral Palsy: Reflection and Suggestion for Interactive Scenario Design

AbstractThis paper explains how a humanoid robot NAO can be used as an assistive technology in specific therapy for children with cerebral palsy (CP). The role of the robot is to motivate the children as to keep them engaged in therapy. To achieve this, the robot must have appropriate appearance to be able to establish affective engagement between child and robot. In addition, the robot should exhibit the right therapeutic approach of managing children with CP. How the humanoid robot NAO acts as a tool to assist in improving the outcome of conventional therapy especially by imitation learning will also be explained. Four interactive scenarios in human-robot interaction (HRI) were designed based on the measurement items in Gross Motor Functional Measure (GMFM). The scenarios will then be constructed based on suitability that will be executed by the robot. As a result from the discussions between clinicians, therapists and engineers, four interactive scenarios consists of introductory rapport, sit to stand, body balancing and ball kicking activity have been formulated. The study has been performed in collaboration between the Faculty of Medicine and the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at the Medical Specialist Centre, Discipline of Rehabilitation Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, UiTM Sungai Buloh, Selangor, Malaysia

Making Robotic Dogs Detect Objects That Real Dogs Recognize Naturally: A Pilot Study

The recent advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and deep learning have enabled smart products, such as smart toys and robotic dogs, to interact with humans more intelligently and express emotions. As a result, such products become intensively sensorized and integrate multi-modal interaction techniques to detect and infer emotions from spoken utterances, motions, pointing gestures and observed objects, and to plan their actions. However, even for the predictive purposes, a practical challenge for these smart products is that deep learning algorithms typically require high computing power, especially when applying a multimodal method. Moreover, the memory needs for deep learning models usually surpass the limit of many low-end mobile computing devices as their complexities boost up. In this study, we explore the application of lightweight deep neural networks, SqueezeDet model and Single Shot Multi-Box Detector (SSD) model with MobileNet as the backbone, to detect canine beloved objects. These lightweight models are expected to be integrated into a multi-modal emotional support robotics system designed for a smart robot dog. We also introduce our future research works in this direction

Robots and autistic children: a review

In accordance with the advancement in robotics and the scholarly literature, the extents of utilizing robots for autistic children are widened and could be a promising method for individual with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) treatments, where the different form of robot (humanoid, non-humanoid, animal-like, toy, and kits) can be employed effectively as a support tool to augment the learning skills and rehabilitate of the individual with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Thus, the robots were exploited for ASD children in different aspects namely; modelling, teaching, and skills practicing; testing, highlighting and evaluating; providing feedback or encouragement; join Attention; eliciting social behaviours; emotion recognition and expression; imitation; vocalization; turn-taking; and diagnostic. The related literature published recently in journals and conferences is taken into account. In this paper, we review the use of robots that help in the therapy of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The articles on using robots for autistic children rehabilitation and education which reported results of experiments on a number of participants were implicated. After looking in digital libraries under this criteria, and excluding non-related, and duplicated studies, 39 studies have been found. The findings were focused mainly on the social communication skills of autistic children and how the extent of the robots mitigate their stereotyped behaviours. Deeper research is required in this area to cover all applications of robotic on autistic children in order to design feasible and low-cost robots that ensure provide high validity

Socially Assistive Robot Enabled Home-Based Care for Supporting People with Autism

The growing number of people diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is an issue of concern in Australia and many countries. In order to improve the engagement, reciprocity, productivity and usefulness of people with ASD in a home-based environment, in this paper the authors report on a 9 month Australian home-based care trial of socially assistive robot (Lucy) to support two young adults with autism. This work demonstrates that by marrying personhood (of people with ASD) with human-like communication modalities of Lucy potentially positive outcomes can be achieved in terms of engagement, productivity and usefulness as well as reciprocity of the people with ASD. Lucy also provide respite to their carers (e.g., parents) in their day to day living

A proposal to act on Theory of Mind by applying robotics and virtual worlds with children with ASD

The article proposes an intervention framed under a single-subject research design where robotics and a 3D virtual environment are used jointly to improve the development of Theory of Mind in children with ASD. The project aims at verifying if the use of a humanoid robot, with high interactive abilities and responses, along with a virtual robot in a social virtual world can enable an improved comprehension of emotions and perspective taking. Specifically the planned activities are designed to gradually support the subjects with ASD in interactional settings in order to make them acquire the needed self-confidence to finally interact with a classmate in the virtual environment

Robots and Autism: How Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder Perceive Social Robots

With the recent boom in artificial intelligence and robotics, social robots are being increasingly used as therapeutic devices for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). These social robots are thought to be effective because of their object-like simplicity combined with human- like social behaviors. Researchers have found that social robots have a multitude of beneficial outcomes for children with ASD, including increased engagement, the emergence of new social behaviors, and reduced social anxiety. However, despite their growing use as therapeutic devices within this community, surprisingly little is known about how children with ASD interpret social robots. To explore this question, in the current study, six 7- to 10-year-olds with ASD and five typically developing 6- and 7-year-olds interacted with a social robot and then answered a series of questions about its physiological, perceptual, cognitive, and social-emotional properties. For comparison, questions were also asked about a child and a dog. Results revealed that both children with ASD and typically developing children endorsed properties of all types for the child and, to a lesser extent, for the dog. However, children gave more varied responses to questions about the robot suggesting that both children with ASD and typically developing children show confusion about how to interpret robots displaying social cues. Results are discussed in light of what they tell us about children with ASD’s conceptual development and what they mean for the use of social robots in intervention

Elementos técnicos de robots de asistencia social que potencien la eficacia terapéutica o solidaria de la conducta cooperativa y comunicativa de niños con autismo

Las investigaciones de los últimos años muestran que el uso de la robótica puede ser una herramienta importante para mejorar la cooperación y la interacción social de los niños con autismo. De acuerdo con la revisión de la literatura, el uso de robots de asistencia social como ayuda puede traer beneficios significativos para el desarrollo de habilidades sociales en niños con autismo en áreas que muestran déficits subyacentes. En la presente investigación investigaremos las actitudes de los docentes sobre los elementos técnicos básicos de los robots de asistencia social que inciden y funcionan terapéuticamente en la mejora del comportamiento colaborativo y comunicativo de los niños con autismo. El análisis de los datos se refiere al efecto de las herramientas robóticas en la mejora de las habilidades de cooperación y comunicación de los niños con autismo en áreas como la capacidad verbal, el contacto visual, la reducción del comportamiento estereotipado de los niños, la imitación.Research in recent years shows that the use of robotics can be an important tool in enhancing the cooperation and social interaction of children with autism. According to the literature review, the use of social assistance robots as an aid can bring significant benefits to the development of social skills in children with autism in areas that show underlying deficits. In the present research we will investigate the attitudes of teachers about the basic technical elements of social assistance robots that affect and function therapeutically in enhancing the collaborative and communicative behavior of children with autism. The analysis of the data concerns the effect of robotic tools on enhancing the cooperation and communication skills of children with autism in areas such as, verbal ability, eye contact, reduction of stereotypical behavior of children, imitation