Notre Dame Begins Research On Clinical Effectiveness Of Robot-Based Social Skills Therapy For Children With Autism

In April 2012, researchers with the University of Notre Dame launched a research project to test the clinical effectiveness of social skills therapy for children diagnosed with autism delivered via the Aldebaran Nao Next Gen, a 24-inch-tall humanoid robot. The project involves children enrolled at The Madonna School in Omaha, Nebraska and children enrolled at the Elizabeth Lee Black School on the campus of the Barber National Institute in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The pilot will last from two to three years. The Nao Next Gen robot, released in December 2011, was developed by Aldebaran Robotics as a service robot . . .