Designing and Evaluating a Mobile Social Robot as an Intervention Tool for Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract

Socially assistive robotics (SAR) research has showed significant promise for supplementing and augmenting therapy for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Still, the great bulk of SAR research has been restricted to brief investigations in extremely controlled settings. Engineering and computer hurdles abound in the design and implementation of a SAR system that can interact autonomously in situ for extended periods of time. The creation of a completely autonomous SAR system for long-term in-home usage with children diagnosed with ASD is presented in this work. This paper designs and evaluates the embedded system for Autism Spectrum Disorder children. These children face difficulties from the communication barrier, mood swings, hyperactivity, and learning basics. A mobile social Robot for autistic children detects emotions. According to their sentiment, it teaches when the child is happy, and if the child is sad, it entertains the child. The robot detects motion and teaches social skills. The Robot includes a safety feature.