Robot programming for a child with autism spectrum disorder: a pilot study.

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) show great interest in technological devices, and especially in robots. Several studies in the field have suggested that socially assistive robotics (SARs) can help children with ASD in the enhancement of their social skills and communication, and in the reduction of their stereotypical behaviors. Few published research results are available regarding robot programming or coding in the context of STEM education (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) for these children. In this pilot study, the authors designed and implemented educational activities with the robot 'Codey Rocky', a ready-to-use robot designed for code learning and programming by primary school children. In this pilot study, the participation of two eight-year-old schoolchildren, a girl with ASD and intellectual deficit and a boy of typical development in triadic interactions with the robot, led to the enhancement of the social and communication skills of the girl with ASD. A decrease in her challenging behaviors was also observed although she manifested repetitive and stereotyped behaviors throughout the educational sessions. The benefits, risks, and implications of the use of SARs for children with ASD are discussed.

Review of assistive technology in the training of children with autism spectrum disorders.

The use of socially assistive robotics (SARs) is a promising method for improving the social skills of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Studies conducted in this field in recent years show that the use of robots as collaborators may have positive effects on the development of social skills in children with ASD, especially in those areas where they reveal great deficits. In this literature review, we present, organize and evaluate the most important features and results of 13 relevant scientific articles. In analysis of the research findings we explored the documented effectiveness of robotics in enhancing the social skills of children with ASD in the areas of mutual attention, verbal communication and imitation skills, and also in the reduction of stereotypical behavior. Analysis of the results of the 13 studies confirmed that robots can have positive immediate effects on the communication skills of children with ASD, which holds promise for future intervention programs and relevant research.