A Robot-Assisted Approach to Small Talk Training for Adults with ASD

--From dating to job interviews, making new friends or simply chatting with the cashier at checkout, engaging in small talk is a vital, everyday social skill. For adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), small talk can be particularly challenging, yet it is essential for social integration, building relationships, and accessing professional opportunities. In this study, we present our development and evaluation of an in-home autonomous robot system that allows users to practice small talk. Results from the week-long study show that adults with ASD enjoyed the training, made notable progress in initiating conversations and improving eye contact, and viewed the system as a valuable tool for enhancing their conversational skills. Imagine a scene where three coworkers are engaging in small talk at the beginning of their workday. One of them is Alex, who has Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), a neu-rodevelopmental condition that often makes it challenging to understand and interpret social cues [2]. Not bad... just trying to power through this Monday. How about you, Alex? A: Monday is okay. Anything exciting happen this weekend? B: Y eah, I finally tried that new restaurant. It was fantas-- A: I watched a movie. C: Glad you liked the restaurant, Ben. It's my kids' favorite spot these days... What movie did you watch, Alex? A: "The Martian." At first glance, this brief example of a typical interaction appears unremarkable. It represents the everyday small talk that occurs regularly in many workplaces. For workers with ASD, however, such apparently "easy" interactions may present a real challenge. In this example, while Alex responds to direct questions, the responses are brief and lack elaboration. Alex's responses provide minimal information rather than actively participating in the flow of the conversation. Additionally, Alex's lack of response to the last prompt may suggest difficulty in extending or sustaining the dialogue. Although workers with ASD are often highly trained and skilled in job-specific tasks, they frequently face challenges with social interactions in the workplace.