Evidence-based robotic intervention programmes for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have been limited. As yet, there is insufficient evidence to inform therapists, teachers, and service providers on effectiveness of robotic intervention to enhance social development and participation of children with ASD in a real context. This study…

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often face significant challenges in social reciprocity, which involves the mutual exchange of social cues and interactions. This study investigates the potential of using a child-height assistive robot named Rudolf to enhance the social reciprocity skills of children with ASD. The research focused…

Background: This study presents a Robot-Inspired Computer-Assisted Adaptive Autism Therapy (RoboCA[supercript 3]T) focusing on improving joint attention and imitation skills of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). By harnessing the inherent affinity of children with ASD for robots and technology, RoboCA[superscript 3]T offers a…

In today's societies, technology occupies a central position in different social spheres. In educational environments, robotics can act as an assistive tool for students with disabilities. More specifically, this tool helps autistic students in the development of attention, which is the fundamental skill in the cognitive and social development of…

In this paper, we analyse what interdisciplinary integration looks like in a research project aimed at developing Probo, a social robot that can be used as an interface by therapists working with autistic children. With our analysis, we contribute to a piecemeal approach to theorizing about integration, which is sensitive to the diversity of goals…

This scoping review synthesises the current research into robotics technologies for promoting social-emotional learning in children with autism spectrum disorder. It examines the types of robotics technologies employed, their applications, and the gaps in the existing literature. Our scoping review adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for…

The study investigates the potential of AI-powered plush robots to serve as assistive technologies for children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) within educational and rehabilitation settings. It employed a qualitative research approach, utilizing semi-structured interviews with 13 experts from related fields to gather insights into the…

In the current investigation, we used a single case alternating treatments design to evaluate the effects of a robot prompter on the social interaction of three pairs of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Findings suggest that three participants produced more utterances and conversational turns when a robot prompter was present, and two…

With technological developments in the 21st century, robot applications have proven to be beneficial in providing some opportunities to help with teaching numerous skills such as joint attention and social skills to children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). However, in the studies investigating the effects of robots on joint attention (JA) in…

Recognising emotions, facial expressions and tone of voice and body language, expressing and managing their own emotions, and understanding and responding to other people's emotions are often difficult for children with autism spectrum disorder. Since the emotional codes of individuals with autism spectrum disorder are different, those people will…

Difficulties with social interaction characterise children with Autism Spectrum Disorders and have a negative impact in their everyday life. Integrating a social-humanoid robot within the standard clinical treatment has been proven promising. The main aim of this randomised controlled study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a robot-assisted…

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) curriculum and learning activities may help students learn social-emotional learning (SEL) competencies needed to support independence and community living, as well as 21st-century career development skills. Including robotics and coding curriculum in elementary classrooms can offer all…

Parental involvement in traditional autism therapy is key to the effective treatment of children with ASD. Little is known about parental involvement in robot-assisted autism therapy (RAAT)--novel therapeutic support for children with ASD. Our study investigates the effect of parental presence on multiple-session RAAT conducted with 16 children…

Background/purpose: This paper systematically reviews current advancements in AI-based diagnostic tools and assistive technologies, analyzing their influence on the early detection, treatment, and educational support of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). The review aims to identify both the benefits and challenges of incorporating these…

Humanoid robots have shown to provide interesting perspectives for autistic children. Yet, few studies have looked at educators' point of view on the use of such robots in educational settings. This paper presents a case study of the use of a humanoid robot, NAO, in a French preschool class dedicated to autistic children. Our work focuses on the…