IIIT-A develops interactive gaming robot to support children with autism

Time of India

3 days ago

Prayagraj: Inspired by the emotional struggles of Ishaan from the Bollywood film 'Taare Zameen Par', where the world fails to understand and accept the challenges faced by autistic children, scientists at the Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) Allahabad are working on an innovative solution that promises to offer new hope for these children.
They are developing an interactive gaming robot designed to support the mental and intellectual growth of children with autism.
The robot's unique feature lies in its ability to combine space-themed mathematical games with a deeply personalised approach to each child. As children play these games, the robot will not only teach them maths but also recognise their emotions, interests, and learning patterns. This way, the robot will assist in bridging the gap in their education, making learning engaging and more intuitive.
Prof Vrijendra Singh, from the Information Technology (IT) department of IIIT Allahabad, explained that the learning process for autistic children is distinct from that of typical children, and they require a specialised educational approach. Keeping this in mind, the robot is being designed to address these needs by helping children learn through play. The project was spearheaded by PhD student Anishma Yadav and MTech student Aanchal Nagvanshi, who are working closely on the development of this robotic solution.
The robot integrates both education and play, using a tablet that displays a space-themed game. Characters such as the moon, planets, and rockets will ask children simple arithmetic problems like addition, subtraction, and counting. As children respond, the robot will provide real-time feedback through voice and gestures. Moreover, the robot is designed to read the child's emotional cues, including facial expressions, and detect moments when the child is confused or unsure.
At those times, it will either simplify the task or offer words of encouragement, such as "Great job"" or "Try again, you're doing well!"
According to Prof Singh, the initiative is based on research that shows that about 1 in 100 children worldwide is affected by autism, with approximately 18-20 million children suffering from it in India alone.