Deep Learning Equips Robots to Help Autistic Children With Therapy

Children who have autism often find it challenging to ascertain the emotional state of people surrounding them. For example, they have trouble differentiating between a scared and a happy face. In order to resolve this concerning issue, some therapists have begun employing children-friendly robots who demonstrate these emotions and help them imitate these feelings so that they are then able to respond to them appropriately. These robots are designed in a way that they engage autistic kids in a personalized way. However, this therapy can work only if a robot can accurately comprehend a child's behavior and analyze his/her level of focus and excitement during the course of therapy. This is where the researchers from MIT Media Lab come into the picture!