The New Face of Autism Therapy
From: Popular Science - 06/2010 - page 68
By: Gregory Mone

With one in 110 children diagnosed with autism, and therapists in short
supply, researchers are developing humanoids to fill the gaps. But can robots
help patients forge stronger bonds with people? 

Read the entire article at:
http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2010-05/humanoid-robots-are-new-therapists

Links:
Robot Companion
http://www.1robotcompanion.com/

USC Robotics Research Lab
http://robotics.usc.edu/?l=Home:index

Maja J. Mataric
http://www-robotics.usc.edu/~maja/

Interaction Lab
http://www-robotics.usc.edu/interaction/

Socially Assistive Robotics for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
http://www-robotics.usc.edu/interaction/?l=Research:Projects:sar_autism:index

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Robots Now Therapists, Playmates to Autistic Children
From: Manila Bulletin - 06/06/2010
By: Gregory Mone

A University of Southern California (USC) research initiative is creating
sympathetic robots that serve as both playmates and therapists for autistic
children. The robots are programmed to perform simple facial expressions and
movements, and the researchers are working to give them the ability to
respond appropriately to a child's behavior. The researchers hope the robots
will help draw socially detached kids into simple games and social activities
with other people. "The robot is a catalyst for social interaction," says USC
computer scientist Maja Matari'c. Robots, computers, and electronic gadgets
may be appealing to autistic children because they are predictable, says
University of Cambridge psychologist Simon Baron-Cohen. Robot-therapists
could be customized to fit the needs or comfort level of the child. The
Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Rosalind Picard has developed sensor
wristbands that record movement, temperature, and perspiration. The
wristbands are designed to detect hidden physiological cues and inform robots
if the wearer might be getting anxious. 

Read the entire article at:
http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/260740/robots-now-therapists-playmates-autistic-children

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Links:
Bandit
http://www.plasticpals.com/?p=12559

USC Caregiving Robot Bandit (video)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-jmQ69n73s

USC Robot Wants to Pump You Up
http://narwilliams.com/blog/2009/11/24/usc-robot-wants-to-pump-you-up/

Post-Stroke Assistive Robotics
http://robotics.usc.edu/~kheldman/