Robotics: a breakthrough therapy for emotion impairments in children with autism

Zusammenfassung

Emotion is an innate quality of human beings and is linked to communication and social skills. In Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), difficulties are identified in the recognition of different emotions, and therefore, in communication with the surrounding environment. The regulation and management of emotions and impulses are key to social success. Therefore, the main objective of this study is to present a therapeutic intervention strategy that uses robotics to address emotional impairments in children diagnosed with ASD, acting as a communication stimulator. The humanoid robot used is Pepper, which is capable of detecting emotions and is designed to interact with people and even through a tablet where it can show visual stimuli or parts of a game. This is used together with the Empatica E4 wristband, a portable and non-invasive device capable of collecting physiological data, focusing on Galvanic Skin Response (GSR). The individual's responses to the interaction with the social robot are synchronized with the physiological response collected by the Empatica E4 wristband, providing information on changes in skin conductance to different emotional stimuli during the sessions, based on Pivotal Response Training (PRT). The experiment is accompanied by psychological tests, eye-tracking, and bodytracking techniques, which allowed the measurement and analysis of eye and body movements to determine the attentional level and commitment to the activity.