The FACE of autism

Abstract

People with autism are known to possess deficits in processing emotional states, both their own and of others. A humanoid robot, FACE (Facial Automation for Conveying Emotions), capable of expressing and conveying emotions and empathy has been constructed to enable autistic children and adults to better deal with emotional and expressive information. We describe the development of an adaptive therapeutic platform which integrates information deriving from wearable sensors carried by a patient or subject as well as sensors placed in the therapeutic ambient. Through custom developed control and data processing algorithms the expressions and movements of FACE are then tuned and modulated to harmonize with the feelings of the subject postulated by their physiological and behavioral correlates. Preliminary results demonstrating the potential of adaptive therapy are presented.