Thomas and friends: Implications for the design of social robots and their role as social story telling agents for children with autism

Abstract

In this paper, we study a fascinating, widely reported link between autism and an anthropomorphic cartoon train, Thomas the Tank Engine. A significant portion of the character's fan base comes from children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Parents report that Thomas acts as a catalyst in the children's emotional and social development. Some have even reported improvements in speech and language as a result of the children's bond with the character. For this paper, we examine the available anecdotal evidence from parents and caregivers about the special relationship between their children and Thomas, and offer an explanation for this bond. Finally, we present the implications this has on the design of social robots for autism therapy and on the use of such robots as social story telling agents for therapeutic purposes.