According to the American Center for Disease Control and Prevention, autism spectrum disorders are diagnosed on average in one child out of 54. In Russia today, the number of diagnosed cases of autism spectrum disorders is actively growing: in five years – 2.5 times. According to a number of scientists, the increase in patients with ASD is associated with environmental factors. Others believe that the number is not growing, they are simply being diagnosed more often, including thanks to artificial intelligence technologies. Olya Osokina, founder of HealthTech-company AIBY, talks about how robots help in the diagnosis and treatment of autism, what developments are already in place and what results they bring.
Physicians have been using IT for a long time to treat a wide variety of diseases. For people with ASD, programs have already been created to support them in social communication, motor skills and sensory problems. And more recently, robotic technology has begun to be introduced to educate, comfort, and generally support those on the spectrum. Autistic children and adults have benefited from robotic solutions to help them acquire life skills and learn.
Robots supporting children with autism
For many children around the world, living with autism is a major challenge. They often need additional support to develop social, speech, communication, cognitive and motor skills. This is where robots can help. Digital technology can play a huge role in learning while providing a non-judgmental environment.
Social robots form a bridge between the real and virtual worlds. They physically interact with children and may exhibit complex behaviors. They will do all of this without looking intimidating and creating a more relaxed environment than when interacting with another person (people with autism have a different perception of eye contact and social interaction).
Humanoid foods for children with autism
QTrobot is an adorable looking robot from LuxAI. It has two movable arms and a large head with a large LCD screen that acts as a robot face. QTrobot can see, hear and speak thanks to the RealSense 3D camera, sensitive microphone and powerful speakers. It can convey a wide variety of emotions with clear visual cues, making it easier for people with autism to recognize. Its height is about 60 cm and its weight is about 5 kg. The robotic assistant is easy to program and customize.
Nao is a two-meter robot from SoftBankRobotics. Can walk, talk, dance and engage children in activities. Nao can read facial expressions, maintain appropriate eye contact, and even give a high-five, congratulating its young owner on a successful assignment. Speech recognition and dialogue are available in 20 languages. The device has cameras, microphones, speakers, touch sensors and LEDs.
Milo is an advanced social robot. Uses children’s voices to improve their communication skills. Milo is a 60 cm tall humanoid who can communicate with humans using voice and facial expressions. Continuously teaches lessons in a way that learners with ASD respond to. When Milo speaks, characters are displayed on the screen of his chest. During its lessons, the robot shows the student 4-5 second video clips on a tablet.
Kaspar is an interactive humanoid as tall as a child. Acts as a social mediator to help children explore basic emotions. The robot uses a series of simplified facial and body expressions, gestures and speech to interact with children and help overcome social isolation. Kaspar can autonomously respond to touch using sensors on the cheeks, body, arms and legs, and participate in multiple interactive play scenarios. It helps children learn fundamental social skills such as imitation and sequencing. The robot provides cognitive learning by offering its owners games related to personal hygiene and nutrition. He can hold a comb, toothbrush or spoon and even sing along with the child.
Moxie is a small robot with wide eyes. Can read facial expressions and talk to children. It helps them explore a variety of human experiences, ideas, and life skills, including kindness, friendship, empathy, or respect. The robot can draw, read or meditate with the child. But Moxie’s main function is to teach children with ASD basic life skills such as taking turns, active listening, emotion regulation, empathy, and problem solving.
Jibo is an unusual robot with a three-cylinder body that makes body movements smoother and more expressive. He can have fun conversations with children: his speech engine is based on approximately 14,000 pre-recorded phrases. Jibo has high-definition cameras, built-in speakers, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi modules, an LCD touch screen, touch sensors, microphones and a processor.
Leka is a cute, rounded device designed to make it easier for him to connect with children. The robot lights up with multi-colored LEDs and plays music; it contains a screen that displays various facial expressions. He can display photos and videos, make various sounds designed to attract the attention of children, and invite them to play by asking them to indicate colors or objects.
Paro is a therapy robot that mimics the voice of a real harp seal baby. It has five sensors: tactile, auditory, light, temperature and body position sensor, which allows it to perceive people and the environment. With light sensor, it can sense light and dark. With a tactile sensor and a posture sensor, he can feel being stroked, hit, or held. Paro can also recognize voice and words such as names and greetings. He can learn to behave in the way the user prefers and to react to his new name.
How robots have influenced children with autism
A study by researchers from Yale University showed significant improvement in social skills in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) after a month of working with robots. By simulating eye contact and other social behavior, the robots taught children from 12 participating families through storytelling and interactive games designed to develop social skills such as emotional understanding, ordering, and seeing things from the perspective of others.
The study, led by computer science professor Brian Scassellati, began with a baseline assessment of children’s skills and emotional development. A month later, a robot was placed in each of the houses and the children worked with it for 30 minutes every day for 30 days. In the last part, the researchers assessed the children again to measure their progress.
Improvements in social behavior were seen in clinical data, including results from six interactive games, the researchers said. Educators of the children (in this study, either a parent or a grandparent) also reported that by the end of the study, children were noticeably better at making eye contact and initiating communication.
AI perspectives in helping children with autism socialize
The Verified Market Research report says the market for solutions and services for the treatment and care of autism spectrum disorders is projected to reach $ 4.53 billion by 2027 and will grow at a CAGR of 4.27%. In addition, a growing understanding of the nature of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is facilitating early detection and thus timely diagnosis, allowing more children to access care much earlier.
A growing number of information campaigns through various government initiatives around the world have provided children with ASD with early access to evidence-based treatment. Through numerous initiatives, growing government funding and sponsored awareness-raising programs, medical interventions and their follow-up innovations are giving children with ASD a chance to socialize and live fulfilling lives.
