Interactive Robots: Therapy Robots

Robots are becoming increasingly common in many areas of human life as technology advances. Considering the usage areas, robots appear in a wide range, from entertainment to psychotherapy. In addition to its role in facilitating human life, its use in the health field has recently been quite remarkable. In this study, interactive robots are evaluated in general and their use in the mental health field is discussed on a large scale. Accordingly, the primary purpose of this study is to examine the need for the development of interactive and therapy robots, their areas of use, and studies on their effectiveness as well as therapy robots that are generally accepted in the relevant literature. The results of the examination show that interactive robots are classified into six groups: social, entertainment, educational, rehabilitation, sex, and therapy robots. In the related literature, Eliza, Woebot, Youper, Wysa, Simsensei Kiosk, Paro, NeCoRo, Kaspar, Bandit, and Pepper have generally been accepted as therapy robots. The results of the studies demonstrate the effectiveness and the usage of interactive therapy robots in therapy for different groups and needs, especially for disadvantaged individuals. On the other hand, it is considered that more research on the effectiveness of robots is needed. Considering the effects on mental health and quality of life, it is believed that the usage of robots in therapy is important and its widespread use will have a significant positive effect in the field

Tecnologia assistiva para crianças com transtorno do espectro autista que vivenciam estresse e ansiedade

With the development of current technology and influences that have been made by the Industry 4.0 utilizing ICTs, IoT, smart systems and products and many others, Assistive Technology (AT) is an important and integral part of the daily life of many people who experience disabilities. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a special category of disorder that can greatly benefit from its use. The purpose of this research is to collect data of Assistive Technology aimed at the detection, prevention and improvement of anxiety and stress (a characteristic of which has been proven to exist and is expressed in various ways in people with ASD). In the introduction, basic definitions regarding the neurobiology of stress and ASD are analyzed. In the main part AT, stress and anxiety correlations are made with ASD and AT devices are described and documented regarding their use for anxiety and stress in children and adolescents with ASD. The Assistive equipment and devices are divided into 2 main categories, 1) Low-tech and 2) Mid-High tech. The results of the research reveal a significant research gap in the use of AT to combat stress and anxiety and the difficulty of many promising options (especially in the domain of Mid-High tech) to be an easy and economical solution in integrating them into the daily life of people with ASD.Con el desarrollo de la tecnología actual y las influencias que ha tenido la Industria 4.0 utilizando TIC, IoT, sistemas y productos inteligentes y muchos otros, la Tecnología de asistencia (TA) es una parte importante e integral de la vida diaria de muchas personas que sufren de discapacidad. . . El trastorno del espectro autista (TEA) es una categoría especial de trastorno que puede beneficiarse enormemente de su uso. El objetivo de esta investigación es recopilar datos de Tecnología Asistiva dirigidos a detectar, prevenir y mejorar la ansiedad y el estrés (una característica que está comprobada y se expresa de diferentes formas en las personas con TEA). En la introducción se analizan definiciones básicas sobre la neurobiología del estrés y el TEA. En su mayor parte se realizan correlaciones de TA, estrés y ansiedad con los TEA y se describen y documentan los dispositivos de TA en relación a su uso para la ansiedad y el estrés en niños y adolescentes con TEA. Los equipos y dispositivos de asistencia se dividen en 2 categorías principales, 1) Tecnología baja y 2) Tecnología media-alta. Los resultados de la encuesta revelan una importante brecha de investigación en el uso de TA para combatir el estrés y la ansiedad y la dificultad de que muchas opciones prometedoras (especialmente en el dominio tecnológico medio-alto) sean una solución fácil y rentable para integrarlas en la vida cotidiana. de personas con TEA.Com o desenvolvimento da tecnologia atual e as influências que foram feitas pela Indústria 4.0 utilizando TICs, IoT, sistemas e produtos inteligentes e muitos outros, a Tecnologia Assistiva (TA) é uma parte importante e integrante da vida diária de muitas pessoas que sofrem de deficiência. O Transtorno do Espectro do Autismo (TEA) é uma categoria especial de transtorno que pode se beneficiar muito com seu uso. O objetivo desta pesquisa é coletar dados de Tecnologia Assistiva voltados para a detecção, prevenção e melhora da ansiedade e do estresse (característica que comprovadamente existe e se expressa de diversas formas em pessoas com TEA). Na introdução, são analisadas definições básicas sobre a neurobiologia do estresse e do TEA. Na parte principal, são feitas correlações de TA, estresse e ansiedade com ASD e dispositivos de TA são descritos e documentados em relação ao seu uso para ansiedade e estresse em crianças e adolescentes com TEA. Os equipamentos e dispositivos assistivos são divididos em 2 categorias principais, 1) Low-tech e 2) Mid-High tech. Os resultados da pesquisa revelam uma lacuna significativa de pesquisa no uso de TA para combater o estresse e a ansiedade e a dificuldade de muitas opções promissoras (especialmente no domínio da tecnologia média-alta) serem uma solução fácil e econômica em integrá-las ao cotidiano de pessoas com TEA

A systematic review of familiarisation methods used in human-robot interactions for autistic participants

There is a growing need for standardised familiarisation techniques within the Human-Robot Interaction (HRI) community. This is particularly the case when considering autistic participants, who may have difficulties with the novelty and sensory stimulation associated with meeting a robot. Familiarisation techniques should be considered critical to research, both from an ethical perspective and to achieve research best practice, and are also important in applied settings. In the absence of standardised familiarisation protocols, we conducted a systematic review in accordance with PRISMA guidelines to better understand the range of familiarisation methods used in studies of HRIs with autistic participants. We searched for papers from four different databases: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Science Direct. We identified 387 articles that involved HRIs with autistic participants. The majority did not mention a familiarisation phase (n = 285). A further 52 mentioned including familiarisation but without any description. 50 studies described their familiarisation. Based on a synthesis of these papers, we identified six familiarisation techniques that are commonly used. Using co-production techniques with the autistic community and other participant groups, future studies should validate and critically evaluate the approaches identified in this review. In order to help facilitate improved reporting and critical evaluation of familiarisation approaches across studies we have setup a familiarisation repository

ROBÓTICA E TRANSTORNO DO ESPECTRO AUTISTA EM PUBLICAÇÕES COM FOCO EDUCACIONAL ESCOLAR

Este artigo se propõe a realizar um levantamento sobre as publicações que contemplam a interseção da robótica e do autismo, no campo educacional. Por meio da metodologia de revisão bibliográfica, foi realizado um levantamento nos portais Capes e Scielo, a partir de palavras-chave e aplicados filtros com a intencionalidade de se refinar a busca por artigos que, de fato, estabelecessem uma relação entre o autismo, a robótica e a educação. Após a aplicação dos filtros, localizamos 10 artigos sobre o tema e identificamos quatro abordagens expressas neles: o uso de tecnologia com foco educacional escolar; uso da robótica em sessões de terapia no ambiente escolar; tecnologias existentes para o uso de pessoas com autismo; e perspectiva dos profissionais sobre o uso da robótica. O estudo mostrou uma escassa produção sobre a relação entre robótica e o autismo no ambiente escolar, o que indica a necessidade de mais pesquisas sobre o tema

ENGAGEMENT RECOGNITION WITHIN ROBOT-ASSISTED AUTISM THERAPY

Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition typically diagnosed in early childhood, which is characterized by challenges in using language and understanding abstract concepts, effective communication, and building social relationships. The utilization of social robots in autism therapy represents a significant area of research. An increasing number of studies explore the use of social robots as mediators between therapists and children diagnosed with autism. Assessing a child’s engagement can enhance the effectiveness of robot-assisted interventions while also providing an objective metric for later analysis. The thesis begins with a comprehensive multiple-session study involving 11 children diagnosed with autism and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). This study employs multi-purposeful robot activities designed to target various aspects of autism. The study yields both quantitative and qualitative findings based on four behavioural measures that were obtained from video recordings of the sessions. Statistical analysis reveals that adaptive therapy provides a longer engagement duration as compared to non-adaptive therapy sessions. Engagement is a key element in evaluating autism therapy sessions that are needed for acquiring knowledge and practising new skills necessary for social and cognitive development. With the aim to create an engagement recognition model, this research work also involves the manual labelling of collected videos to generate a QAMQOR dataset. This dataset comprises 194 therapy sessions, spanning over 48 hours of video recordings. Additionally, it includes demographic information for 34 children diagnosed with ASD. It is important to note that videos of 23 children with autism were collected from previous records. The QAMQOR dataset was evaluated using standard machine learning and deep learning approaches. However, the development of an accurate engagement recognition model remains challenging due to the unique personal characteristics of each individual with autism. In order to address this challenge and improve recognition accuracy, this PhD work also explores a data-driven model using transfer learning techniques. Our study contributes to addressing the challenges faced by machine learning in recognizing engagement among children with autism, such as diverse engagement activities, multimodal raw data, and the resources and time required for data collection. This research work contributes to the growing field of using social robots in autism therapy by illuminating an understanding of the importance of adaptive therapy and providing valuable insights into engagement recognition. The findings serve as a foundation for further advancements in personalized and effective robot-assisted interventions for individuals with autism

Desarrollo de la comprensión emocional ¿Qué tipo de tecnología para qué alumno con trastorno del espectro autista? Revisión sistemática

The lack of information on the use of technology in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) of different profiles can make it difficult for teachers and students to benefit from the most effective technology support tailored to their needs. The aim of this review was to analyze and synthesize scientific evidence on the effectiveness of technological resources in improving the emotional understanding of students with high and low functioning ASD profiles. A systematic review of the scientific publications indexed in some of the most relevant databases was carried out following the criteria established in the PRISMA declaration. A total of 38 articles that met the pre-established inclusion criteria were analyzed. The results show the importance of designing versatile systems that can be customized and adapted in real time and in natural contexts with a clearly inclusive approach. But they also suggest that technology may not be an appropriate complementary intervention tool for all children with ASD. This underlines the need for additional well-controlled tests on the characteristics that would allow identifying which students might or might not benefit from different technology modalities.La falta de información sobre el uso de la tecnología en niños con tras-torno del espectro autista (TEA) de diferentes perfiles puede dificultar que docentes y alumnos se estén beneficiando del apoyo tecnológico más eficaz y ajustado a sus necesidades. El objetivo de esta revisión fue analizar y sintetizar la evidencia científica sobre la eficacia de los recursos tecnológicos en la mejora de la comprensión emocional de estudiantes con TEA con perfiles de alto y bajo funcionamiento. Para ello se realizó una revisión sistemática de las publicaciones científicas indexadas en algunas de las bases de datos de mayor relevancia siguiendo los criterios establecidos en la declaración PRISMA. En total se analizaron 38 artículos que cumplieron con los criterios de inclusión preestablecidos. Los resultados muestran la importancia de diseñar sistemas versátiles que puedan personalizarse y adaptarse en tiempo real y en contextos naturales con un enfoque claramente inclusivo. Pero también sugieren que la tecnología puede no ser una herramienta de intervención complementaria adecuada para todos los niños con TEA. Lo que subraya la necesidad de ensayos adicionales bien controlados sobre las características que permitan identificar qué estudiantes podrían o no beneficiarse de diferentes modalidades de tecnología

Implementation of new assistive technologies for people affected by Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASDs)

Individuals with Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) have impairments in the processing of social and emotional information. The number of children known to have autism has increased dramatically since the 1980s. This has sensitized the scienti¯c community to the design and development of technologies suitable for treating an autistic patient in order to broaden the emotive responsiveness, such as the employment of robotic systems to engage proactive interactive responses in children with ASDs. My PhD work focuses on the design and develop of new technologies for therapy with individual affect by ASD. The main challenge of my work has been to design and develop a novel control architecture able to reproduce the brain characteristics in terms of high concurrency processing, flexibility and the ability to learn new behavior. The main di±culties in implementing Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) in hardware in terms of accuracy, gate complexity and speed performance are discussed. A new wearable eye tracking system able to investigate attention disorders early in infancy is proposed. Technological choices are emphasized with respect to unobtrusive and ecological to adapt the device for infants. New algorithms to increase the system robustness under illumination change and during calibration process have been developed and herein presented. Experimental test prove the effectiveness of the solutions. Considerations on the future research directions are addressed, stressing the multiple application fields of the designed device

Beyond The ‘Untold’ Encountering Autism: Situated Insights On Ways To Enable Participation In Design

The number of people who experience autism is constantly increasing. In 2020, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention determined that, every year, approximately 1 out of 54 children is diagnosed with the autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In the last years, the number of research and studies dedicated to children with autism has increased; however, scarce attention was paid to research on adults with autism, particularly those on the severe end of the spectrum (low-functioning autism), who have limited verbal abilities and non-normative communication. Consequences of this include issues of social inclusion, lack of services, work opportunities, social and civil rights, to mention a few, which are not yet sufficiently explored nor implemented for this specific group of people. This thesis employs Participatory Design to explore novel ways to engage with people on the autistic spectrum, in the attempt to understand what processes and participatory dynamics become enacted in acknowledging them as equal, valuable presences in the constitution of our collective existence and society. In particular, the research looks at processes and activities that can lead to a collaboration between designers and adults with severe autism and non-normative communication abilities, and their active participation within the research process. By theoretically drawing from traditions of Feminist Theory and Participatory Design, this thesis considers one single case study, where collaboration with the participant is achieved by means of a situated approach to design research. My standpoint and philosophical positioning here are to acknowledge that there are multiple realities through which one can make sense of the world: this research envisions that each person constructs her or his own reality through their personal experiences. Such philosophical perspective aims at emphasising and valuing subjectivity, and the consequent, intrinsic partiality that constitute our human experience. Personalised and situated research objects are also used across the thesis as methodological elements, oriented to explore the potential of triggering participation, crossing the boundaries between different communication abilities and achieving mutual understanding between designer and participant. The contribution to knowledge provided from this research is three fold: first, it provides new insights about the creation of research objects that result from a situated and process-oriented approach to Participatory Design; second, it extends knowledge concerning design practices that involve the collaborative participation of people experiencing the severe 4 end of the autistic spectrum; third, it contributes to provide new narratives concerning peoplewith non-normative communication abilities and autism