New paper published by CATCH professor

Robot KASPER

CATCH Professor Luc de Witte has co-authored a paper published in the Journal of Autism and Development Disorders.

The paper, Roles, Strengths and Challenges of Using Robots in Interventions for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), was written in conjunction with colleagues from Zuyd University of Applied Sciences and Maastricht University.

The aim of this research was to study roles, strengths and challenges of robot-mediated interventions using robot KASPAR for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Twelve focus group sessions were organized in which 70 ASD care and/or education professionals participated. Six roles for KASPAR were identified: provoker, reinforcer, trainer, mediator, prompter, and diagnostic information provider.

Strengths of KASPAR are related to personalisation possibilities, its playfulness, the action–reaction principle, its neutral expression, consistent and repetitive application of actions, possibilities to vary behaviour in a controlled manner and having an extra hand.

Challenges of working with KASPAR were: limited reaction possibilities, possibility of children being scared of KASPAR, difficulties with generalisation or transfer and finally potential dependence on KASPAR.

The full paper can be downloaded here.