Children with autism social engagement in interaction with Nao, an imitative robot

2012 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 315-347 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adriana Tapus ◽  
Andreea Peca ◽  
Amir Aly ◽  
Cristina A. Pop ◽  
Lavinia Jisa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Engagement ◽  
Eye Gaze ◽  
Arm Movements ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Video Data ◽  
Assistive Robotics ◽  
Human Interaction ◽  
Single Subject ◽  
Nao Robot ◽  
Human Partner

This paper presents a series of 4 single subject experiments aimed to investigate whether children with autism show more social engagement when interacting with the Nao robot, compared to a human partner in a motor imitation task. The Nao robot imitates gross arm movements of the child in real-time. Different behavioral criteria (i.e. eye gaze, gaze shifting, free initiations and prompted initiations of arm movements, and smile/laughter) were analyzed based on the video data of the interaction. The results are mixed and suggest a high variability in reactions to the Nao robot. The results are as follows: For Child2 and Child3, the results indicate no effect of the Nao robot in any of the target variables. Child1 and Child4 showed more eye gaze and smile/laughter in the interaction with the Nao robot compared to the human partner and Child1 showed a higher frequency of motor initiations in the interaction with the Nao robot compared to the baselines, but not with respect to the human-interaction. The robot proved to be a better facilitator of shared attention only for Child1. Keywords: human-robot interaction; assistive robotics; autism

Effects of a Robot-Enhanced Intervention for Children With ASD on Teaching Turn-Taking Skills

2019 ◽  
Vol 58 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-62 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel O. David ◽  
Cristina A. Costescu ◽  
Silviu Matu ◽  
Aurora Szentagotai ◽  
Anca Dobrean
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Single Subject ◽  
Similar Extent ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
Human Partner ◽  
Turn Taking ◽  
Core Symptoms

Among social skills that are core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder, turn-taking plays a fundamental role in regulating social interaction and communication. Our main focus in this study is to investigate the effectiveness of a robot-enhanced intervention on turn-taking abilities. We aim to identify to what degree social robots can improve turn-taking skills and whether this type of intervention provides similar or better gains than standard intervention. This study presents a series of 5 single-subject experiments with children with autism spectrum disorder aged between 3 and 5 years. Each child receives 20 intervention sessions (8 robot-enhanced sessions—robot-enhanced treatment (RET), 8 standard human sessions—standard human treatment, and 4 sessions with the intervention that was more efficient). Our findings show that most children reach similar levels of performance on turn-taking skills across standard human treatment and RET, meaning that children benefit to a similar extent from both interventions. However, in the RET condition, children seemed to see their robotic partner as being more interesting than their human partner, due to the fact that they looked more at the robotic partner compared with the human partner.

scholarly journals Recognition of Emotion from Facial Expressions with Direct or Averted Eye Gaze and Varying Expression Intensities in Children with Autism Disorder and Typically Developing Children

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dina Tell ◽  
Denise Davidson ◽  
Linda A. Camras
Keyword(s):  
Emotion Recognition ◽  
Facial Expressions ◽  
Eye Gaze ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Gaze Direction ◽  
Emotional Expressions ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Typically Developing Children ◽  
Expression Intensity ◽  
Autism Disorder

Eye gaze direction and expression intensity effects on emotion recognition in children with autism disorder and typically developing children were investigated. Children with autism disorder and typically developing children identified happy and angry expressions equally well. Children with autism disorder, however, were less accurate in identifying fear expressions across intensities and eye gaze directions. Children with autism disorder rated expressions with direct eyes, and 50% expressions, as more intense than typically developing children. A trend was also found for sad expressions, as children with autism disorder were less accurate in recognizing sadness at 100% intensity with direct eyes than typically developing children. Although the present research showed that children with autism disorder are sensitive to eye gaze direction, impairments in the recognition of fear, and possibly sadness, exist. Furthermore, children with autism disorder and typically developing children perceive the intensity of emotional expressions differently.

scholarly journals Using the Virtual Reality-Cognitive Rehabilitation Approach to Improve Contextual Processing in Children with Autism

2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle Wang ◽  
Denise Reid
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Cognitive Flexibility ◽  
Cognitive Rehabilitation ◽  
Contextual Information ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Educational Programs ◽  
Multiple Baseline ◽  
Single Subject ◽  
Control Test ◽  
Contextual Processing

Background. This pilot study investigated the efficacy of a novel virtual reality-cognitive rehabilitation (VR-CR) intervention to improvecontextual processing of objectsin children with autism. Previous research supports that children with autism show deficits in contextual processing, as well as deficits in its elementary components: abstraction and cognitive flexibility.Methods. Four children with autism participated in a multiple-baseline, single-subject study. The children were taught how tosee objects in contextby reinforcing attention to pivotal contextual information.Results. All children demonstrated statistically significant improvements in contextual processing and cognitive flexibility. Mixed results were found on the control test and changes in context-related behaviours.Conclusions. Larger-scale studies are warranted to determine the effectiveness and usability in comprehensive educational programs.

Comparative Effects of Picture Symbol With Paired Text and Text-Only Augmentative and Alternative Communication Representations on Communication From Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

2021 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 584-597
Author(s):  
Christine Holyfield
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Augmentative And Alternative Communication ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
School Age Children ◽  
Book Reading ◽  
Single Subject ◽  
Alternative Communication ◽  
Children With Asd

Purpose Technology features that maximize communicative benefit while minimizing learning demands must be identified and prioritized to amplify the efficiency and effectiveness of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) intervention. Picture symbols with paired text are a common representation feature in AAC systems for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who are preliterate, yet little research about their comparative benefit exists. Method Four school-age children with ASD and limited speech who were preliterate participated in two single-subject studies. In one study, communication of high imageability words (e.g., nouns) on an AAC app during a book-reading activity was compared across two representation conditions: picture symbols with paired text and text only. In the second study, communication of low imageability words (e.g., verbs) was compared. Both studies had baseline, intervention, generalization, and maintenance phases. Results Prior to intervention, participants communicated across both representation conditions at low rates except two participants who were relatively successful using picture symbol with paired text representations of high imageability words. In response to intervention, all participants demonstrated increases in communication across representation conditions and maintained the increases. Participants demonstrated generalization in the text-only representation condition. Conclusions Children with ASD who were preliterate acquired communication at comparable rates regardless of whether an AAC app utilized picture symbol with paired text or text-only representation. Therefore, while larger scale research is needed, clinicians and technology developers could consider increasing the use of text in AAC representation given the inherent value associated with learning to recognize written words. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.13661357

Online Communication Training for Parents of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

2017 ◽  
Vol 39 (3) ◽  
pp. 415-425 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah N. Douglas ◽  
Rebecca Kammes ◽  
Erica Nordquist
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Parent Training ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Online Training ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Communication Strategy ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Probe Design ◽  
Single Subject ◽  
The Impact

Parent training is an essential part of quality programming for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, limited research exists exploring online training approaches to support parents of children with both ASD and complex communication needs (CCN; e.g., limited verbal ability), despite the many benefits that online training might have for these parents and the overall sustainability and scalability of such approaches. This study utilized a single-subject multiple probe design with three parents and their children to explore the impact of online parent training for parents and their children with ASD and CCN. Training included online interactive components to teach parents a communication strategy, as well as live practice sessions during which parents implemented the strategy, had an opportunity to ask questions, and engaged in self-reflection. Results indicated that training increased communication opportunities and responses provided by parents, and communication by the child. Limitations and future research directions are discussed.

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