SBIR Phase I: A Consumer Robot Designed to Help Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders Practice Critical Social Skills

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project focuses on optimizing the design of a robot for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Research has shown that children with ASD interact more easily with inanimate devices, such as robots, than with humans. Despite this promising research, there are currently no consumer robots on the market specifically designed to interact with ASD children. The goal of this research is to investigate what set of features are optimal for a robot designed to be an effective and affordable therapy tool for children with ASD. Initial designs will be generated based on existing research and previously conducted user tests. These designs will be used to create prototypes which will then be used to conduct user studies with ASD children to determine which designs elicit the greatest engagement, measured by proximity to robot, number of interactions (physical & eye contact), duration of interactions and number of vocalizations. The expected results are a validated design of an affordable consumer-ready robot that addresses the specific needs of children with ASD. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project involve both the direct impact of providing a beneficial new therapy tool for children with ASD as well as providing a platform from which additional research can be launched. The CDC currently estimates that 1 in 88 children in the United States will be diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder and ASDs are reported to occur in all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups. Early intervention can make a significant difference in the lives of these children and their families. Tools that allow children to practice and reinforce skills learned in formal therapy sessions are strongly desired by parents. The goal of this project is to develop a validated design for a robot to help children with ASD practice social referencing skills. By designing both for effectiveness and affordability, it will be the first autism robot targeted towards the home therapy market. Additionally, the results of this project will also be beneficial to researchers studying the use of robots as autism therapy tools. This robot will serve as an affordable alternative to expensive research robots, most of which were not designed specifically to interact with special needs children.