Socially assistive robots have previously demonstrated potential as a tool to improve the accessibility of care, the researchers explain in their paper. For instance, a 2020 study illustrated that robots may be helpful in assessing risk factors for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). "Robots have been used for various tasks -- and they've been shown to be effective in certain things because they have this physical embodiment, unlike a mobile phone or a virtual character or even videos," Prof. Gunes said. And despite the potential dangers of allowing a child too much time with an electronic device, working one-on-one with a robot is different from screentime, Prof. Gunes noted. "This is a physical interaction, right? It's not a video -- they're physically interacting with a physical entity," she said.