Can robot-inspired computer-assisted therapy benefit children with autism?

A new study published in the Journal of Computer Assisted Learning introduces a novel robot-inspired computer-assisted adaptive autism therapy (RoboCA3T) that leverages the natural affinity of children with autism spectrum disorder towards technology and robots.

RoboCA3T harnesses the potential of robot-assisted therapies by incorporating robot avatars and integrating them with computer-assisted therapies through a web-based solution.

When investigators assessed Childhood Autism Rating Scale scores before and after the intervention, they noted significant enhancement in joint attention, or the ability to coordinate attention and share a point of reference with another person. Scores also indicated improvements in imitation skills, indicating that the treatment helped children to observe and mirror the behaviors of others.

“The research contributes significantly to the ongoing effort to develop cost-effective, time-efficient, evidence-based treatments for children with autism spectrum disorder,” said corresponding author Sara Ali, Ph.D., of the National University of Sciences and Technology, in Pakistan. “RoboCA3T prioritizes personalized content delivery along with integration of AI-based automatic gaze and pose detection algorithms.”