Abstract
The ability to interpret and respond to nonverbal signals is crucial in human-robot interaction. This enables the establishment of effective communication and a meaningful relationship between the robot and the user. Understanding the importance of nonverbal communication is a fundamental aspect in the design of therapeutic and technological interventions for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
This study investigates how children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) interpret and respond to gestures made by robots, particularly focusing on the humanoid robot Pepper and the use of tablets, with the aim of enhancing human-robot interactions for the development of more effective therapies for ASD. Participants, both with and without ASD, engaged in sessions involving nonverbal and verbal communication scenarios with the robot and instructor. Results indicate significant differences in gesture recognition between children with ASD and neurotypical children, especially in conditions involving verbal communication. This approach aids in improving interventions, increasingly individualized and effective. Further research with larger samples and improved robot autonomy is warranted to enhance therapeutic outcomes and address limitations encountered in this study.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aguilar Velázquez, R.: Aplicación Web para el desarrollo del potencial de lectoescritura en niños con autismo (2021)
Álvarez Guerrero, M.: Expresión emocional mediante sonidos no verbales en robots sociales [Bachelor’s thesis] (2016)
Ávila, J.A.S.: Una revisión narrativa sobre las estrategias para la intervención de la comunicación en niños y niñas con alto riesgo de trastorno del espectro del autismo. UCMaule 63, 81–95 (2022)
Ansari, M.F., Kasprowski, P., Obetkal, M.: Gaze tracking using an unmodified web camera and convolutional neural network. Appl. Sci. 11(19), 9068 (2021)
Bartl-Pokorny, K.D., et al.: Robot-based intervention for children with autism spectrum disorder: a systematic literature review. IEEE Access 9, 165433–165450 (2021)
Bonarini, A.: Communication in human-robot interaction. Curr. Robot. Rep. 1, 279–285 (2020)
Choregraphe overview-NAO Software 1.14.5 documentation. (s. f.). Recuperado 20 de febrero de 2024. http://doc.aldebaran.com/1-14/software/choregraphe/choregraphe_overview.html
De Carolis, B., D’Errico, F., Macchiarulo, N., Palestra, G.: Socially inclusive robots: learning culture-related gestures by playing with pepper. In: IUI Workshops (2021)
Eldridge, B.D., Maciejewski, A.A.: Using genetic algorithms to optimize social robot behavior for improved pedestrian flow. In: 2005 IEEE International Conference on Systems, Man and Cybernetics, vol. 1, pp. 524–529. IEEE (2005)
Feidakis, M., Gkolompia, I., Mamelaki, A., Marathaki, K., Emmanouilidou, S., Agrianiti, E.: NAO robot, an educational assistant in training, educational and therapeutic sessions. In: 2023 IEEE Global Engineering Education Conference (EDUCON), pp. 1–6. IEEE (2023)
García, M.R.: Comunicación e interacción social. Aportes de la comunicología al estudio de la ciudad, la identidad y la inmigración. Glob. Media J. México, 1(2), 0 (2004)
Gómez, F.S.J.: La comunicación. Salus 20(3), 5–6 (2016)
Górriz, et al.: Computational approaches to Explainable Artificial Intelligence: advances in theory, applications and trends. Inform. Fusion 100, 101945 (2023)
Granados-Ramos, D.E., Altamirano-Díaz, P.A., Sanabria-Barradas, B.: Interacciones mediante el juego en diadas madre-hijo con Trastorno del Espectro Autista (TEA). Interdisciplinaria, 40(3) (2023)
Hermosilla Díaz, J.E.: Una estrategia cortés para interacciones humano-robot locales (2023)
Hrabar, I., Čelan, B., Matić, D., Jerković, N., Kovačić, Z.: Towards supervised robot-assisted physical therapy after hand fractures. In: 2021 International Conference on Software, Telecommunications and Computer Networks (SoftCOM), pp. 1–6. IEEE (2021)
Khatin-Zadeh, O., Farsani, D., Banaruee, H.: A study of the use of iconic and metaphoric gestures with motion-based, static space-based, static object-based, and static event-based statements. Behav. Sci. 12(7), 239 (2022)
Lekova, A.K., Tsvetkova, P.T.: Toward robot-assisted psychosocial techniques for sound stimulation of children born with hearing loss. In: 2021 International Conference on Information Technologies (InfoTech), pp. 1–4. IEEE (2021)
Liu, H., et al.: BEAT: a large-scale semantic and emotional multi-modal dataset for conversational gestures synthesis. In: European Conference on Computer Vision, pp. 612–630. Springer Nature, Cham (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-20071-7_36
Marathaki, K., Feidakis, M., Patrikakis, C., Agrianiti, E.: Deploy social assistive robot to develop symbolic play and imitation skills in students with autism spectrum disorder. In: 2022 IEEE Global Engineering Education Conference (EDUCON), pp. 547–552. IEEE (2022)
Montesdeoca, J.C., Toibero, J.M., Carelli, R.: Human-robot interaction, evolution, advances and new challenges. In: 2017 XVII Workshop on Information Processing and Control (RPIC), pp. 1–4. IEEE (2017)
Rodríguez Cruz, M.D.P.: La comunicación e interacción humana y su incidencia en el contexto escolar. El Guiniguada (1985)
Rizo García, M.: La interacción y la comunicación desde los enfoques de la psicología social y la sociología fenomenológica. Breve exploración teórica. Análisi: Quaderns de comunicació i cultura, (33), 045–62 (2006)
Schuurmans, A.A., et al.: Validity of the Empatica E4 wristband to measure heart rate variability (HRV) parameters: a comparison to electrocardiography (ECG). J. Med. Syst. 44, 1–11 (2020)
Shi, G., Xiao, Y., Li, Y., Xie, X.: From semantic communication to semantic-aware networking: Model, architecture, and open problems. IEEE Commun. Mag. 59(8), 44–50 (2021)
Serrano, J.L., Sánchez Vera, M.M., Solano, I.M.: Robótica y currículum. Monográfico ERW. Una primera mirada hacia el pensamiento computacional en el currículo educativo de Infantil y Primaria en España. HipaRob (2021)
Sosa Medina, R., Hunting, A., Moradi, P.: Recomendaciones para el Diseño de Robots para el Acompañamiento Artificial, Robots y Adultos Mayores en la Vida Cotidiana (2022)
Sodre, H., et al.: Aplicacion de Robots Humanoides como Guias Interactivos en Museos: Una Simulacion con el Robot NAO. arXiv preprint arXiv:2310.17060(2023)
Stoeva, D., Gelautz, M.: Body language in affective human-robot interaction. In: Companion of the 2020 ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction, pp. 606–608 (2020)
Tomasello, M.: A Natural History of Human Thinking. Harvard University Press (2014)
Tölgyessy, M., Dekan, M., Chovanec, Ĺ: Skeleton tracking accuracy and precision evaluation of Kinect V1, Kinect V2, and the azure Kinect. Appl. Sci. 11(12), 5756 (2021)
Zorrilla-Puerto, J., Lores-Gómez, B., Martínez-Requejo, S., & Ruiz-Lázaro, J.: El papel de la robótica en Educación Infantil: revisión sistemática para el desarrollo de habilidades. RiiTE Revista Interuniversitaria de Investigación en Tecnología Educativa, 188–194 (2023)
Acknowledgement
This project has received funding by grant PID2020-115220RB-C22 funded by MCIN/AEI/ 10.13039/501100011033 and, as appropriate, by “ERDF A way of making Europe”, by the “European Union” or by the “European Union NextGenerationEU/PRTR”, and was funded in part by grants DTS19/00175 and PDC2022-133952-100 from the Spanish “Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades” and by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme under Grant Agreement No. 899287 (NeuraViPeR). Carlos G. Juan’s work was funded in part by the Conselleria d’Innovació, Universitats, Ciència i Societat Digital of the Generalitat Valenciana (Government of the Valencian Community) and the European Social Fund, and partly by the State Research Agency (AEI) (Spanish State Research Agency), Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (Government of Spain), and the European Social Fund Plus through the APOSTD Program (ref. CIAPOS/2021/267) and through the Ramón y Cajal Program (ref. RYC2022-036257-I), respectively, as well as the “Premio Tecnologías Accesibles de Indra y Universia Fundación”.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding authors
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2024 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this paper
Cite this paper
Benedicto, G., Juan, C.G., Fernández-Caballero, A., Fernandez, E., Ferrández, J.M. (2024). Unravelling the Robot Gestures Interpretation by Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder During Human-Robot Interaction. In: Ferrández Vicente, J.M., Val Calvo, M., Adeli, H. (eds) Artificial Intelligence for Neuroscience and Emotional Systems. IWINAC 2024. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 14674. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-61140-7_33
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-61140-7_33
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-031-61139-1
Online ISBN: 978-3-031-61140-7
eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)