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Project INSIDE: Towards Autonomous Semi-Unstructured Human-Robot Social Interaction in Autism Therapy


Abstract This paper describes the INSIDE system, a networked robot system designed to allow the use of mobile robots as active players in the therapy of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). While a significant volume of work has explored the impact of robots in ASD therapy, most such work comprises remotely operated robots and/or well-structured interaction dynamics. The INSIDE system is the first in which a fully autonomous mobile robot actively engages children with ASD during therapy in a semi-unstructured interaction. In this paper we describe the hardware and software infrastructure that supports such rich form of interaction, as well as the design methodology that guided the development of the INSIDE system. Finally, we describe some preliminary results concerning the use of the INSIDE system in the actual therapy with children at Hospital Garcia de Orta, in Portugal.
Year 2018
Keywords Social Robotic Companions;
Authors Francisco S. Melo, Alberto Sardinha, Miguel Faria, Ana Paiva, Ruben Solera, Miguel Vasco, Mithun Kinarullathil, Pedro Lima, Luís Luz, André Mateus, Jhielson Pimentel, Rodrigo Ventura, Marta Couto, Anabela Farias, Isabel Melo, Hugo Gambôa, David Belo, Daniel Osório, João Rodrigues, Pedro Sequeira, Manuela Veloso
Institution Intelligent Agents and Synthetic Characters Group
Number GAIPS-TR-001-18
Month March
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@techreport { melo18, abstract = {This paper describes the INSIDE system, a networked robot system designed to allow the use of mobile robots as active players in the therapy of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). While a significant volume of work has explored the impact of robots in ASD therapy, most such work comprises remotely operated robots and/or well-structured interaction dynamics. The INSIDE system is the first in which a fully autonomous mobile robot actively engages children with ASD during therapy in a semi-unstructured interaction. In this paper we describe the hardware and software infrastructure that supports such rich form of interaction, as well as the design methodology that guided the development of the INSIDE system. Finally, we describe some preliminary results concerning the use of the INSIDE system in the actual therapy with children at Hospital Garcia de Orta, in Portugal.}, institution = {Intelligent Agents and Synthetic Characters Group}, keywords = {Social Robotic Companions;}, month = {March}, number = {GAIPS-TR-001-18}, title = {Project INSIDE: Towards Autonomous Semi-Unstructured Human-Robot Social Interaction in Autism Therapy}, year = {2018}, author = {Francisco S. Melo and Alberto Sardinha and Miguel Faria and Ana Paiva and Ruben Solera and Miguel Vasco and Mithun Kinarullathil and Pedro Lima and Luís Luz and André Mateus and Jhielson Pimentel and Rodrigo Ventura and Marta Couto and Anabela Farias and Isabel Melo and Hugo Gambôa and David Belo and Daniel Osório and João Rodrigues and Pedro Sequeira and Manuela Veloso} }

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