Could robots play a role in teaching and therapy for children with autism?

Recent research shows that technological tools such as robots can be used in therapy and teaching contexts. They can transform teaching methods, not just in classrooms but also in the in-house clinical practices. With the rapid advancement in deep learning techniques, robots have become more capable of interacting with people.

In this paper, DCU researchers present a cost-efficient, socially designed robot called ‘Tinku’, developed to assist in teaching special needs children. ‘Tinku’ is low cost but is full of features and has the ability to produce human-like expressions. Its design is inspired by the widely accepted animated character ‘WALL-E’.