Ensa meeting

• Ensa in Crete 17-19.5.2012• Pirjo Poikonen

Robots with autistic children

• Robotics is a quite new technology • There has been made a little research how

autistic children react with robots– They learn social skills– They communicate better with a robot which they

think as their mates than therapists– Robots do not criticize

• Childern can be more relaxed and open with them

• Robots give the feedback always in the same manner >– it might be easier to teach an autistic child which

kind of reaction is acceptable

Conclusions

• People who work with autistic people in social services are interested in robotics

• On the other hand the question is: What is the big value– What robotics give more than computers?

• There must be done more research with clients before we know better the robots can be used

• The education sector might be the field where robots can be tested