Could robots hold the key to helping children with autism? Three-year-old Aiden trials device with amazing results

A two-foot high robot with flashing eyes could be the key to helping children cope with autism. Researchers at Vanderbilt University have tested their creation, called Nao, on Aiden, a three year old diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder - and say it could help treat thousands with the condition. The robot is able to speak, move and interact using a series on sensors - and can even tell where Aiden is looking that's to a specially developed cap. Aiden, three and a half, with Nao, his robotic'buddy' that is programmed to help him deal with some of the social problems associated with autism A team of mechanical engineers and autism experts at Vanderbilt University have developed the system and used it to demonstrate that robotic systems may be powerful tools for enhancing the basic social learning skills of children with ASD. Writing in the March issue of the IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering, the researchers report that children with ASD paid more attention to the robot and followed its instructions almost as well as they did those of a human therapist in standard exercises used to develop joint attention skill.