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Holeva V, Nikopoulou VA, Lytridis C, Bazinas C, Kechayas P, Sidiropoulos G, Papadopoulou M, Kerasidou MD, Karatsioras C, Geronikola N, Papakostas GA, Kaburlasos VG, Evangeliou A. Effectiveness of a Robot-Assisted Psychological Intervention for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord 2024; 54:577-593. [PMID: 36331688 PMCID: PMC9638397 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-022-05796-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Difficulties with social interaction characterise children with Autism Spectrum Disorders and have a negative impact in their everyday life. Integrating a social-humanoid robot within the standard clinical treatment has been proven promising. The main aim of this randomised controlled study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a robot-assisted psychosocial intervention and the secondary aim was to investigate potential differences between a robot-assisted intervention group and a control group receiving intervention by humans only. The analysis of the results showed that robot-assisted intervention could be beneficial by improving children's psychosocial skills. This improvement was highlighted by neuropsychological testing and parent reporting. Group comparison only presented minimal statistically significant differences. The study underpins the potential of robot-assisted interventions to augment standard care.
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Grants
- Τ1ΕDΚ-00929 Action "RESEARCH - DEVELOP - INNOVATE", cycle A, Intervention II, Operational Programme "Competitiveness, Entrepreneurship and Innovation", NSRF (National Strategic Reference Framework) of Greece 2014-2020
- Action “RESEARCH – DEVELOP - INNOVATE”, cycle A, Intervention II, Operational Programme “Competitiveness, Entrepreneurship and Innovation”, NSRF (National Strategic Reference Framework) of Greece 2014-2020
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Affiliation(s)
- Vasiliki Holeva
- Clinical Psychology Department, Papageorgiou General Hospital, Periferiaki Odos, Ring Road, N. Efkarpia, 54603, Thessaloniki, Greece.
| | - V A Nikopoulou
- Clinical Psychology Department, Papageorgiou General Hospital, Periferiaki Odos, Ring Road, N. Efkarpia, 54603, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - C Lytridis
- HUman-MAchines INteraction Laboratory (HUMAIN-Lab), International Hellenic University, Agios Loukas, Kavala, Greece
| | - C Bazinas
- HUman-MAchines INteraction Laboratory (HUMAIN-Lab), International Hellenic University, Agios Loukas, Kavala, Greece
| | - P Kechayas
- Clinical Psychology Department, Papageorgiou General Hospital, Periferiaki Odos, Ring Road, N. Efkarpia, 54603, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - G Sidiropoulos
- HUman-MAchines INteraction Laboratory (HUMAIN-Lab), International Hellenic University, Agios Loukas, Kavala, Greece
| | - M Papadopoulou
- Division of Child Neurology and Metabolic Disorders, 4th Department of Paediatrics, AUTH, Papageorgiou General Hospital, Periferiaki Odos, N. Efkarpia, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - M D Kerasidou
- Clinical Psychology Department, Papageorgiou General Hospital, Periferiaki Odos, Ring Road, N. Efkarpia, 54603, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - C Karatsioras
- "Praxis" Novel Consulting and Therapy Centre for Children, Kavala, Greece
| | | | - G A Papakostas
- HUman-MAchines INteraction Laboratory (HUMAIN-Lab), International Hellenic University, Agios Loukas, Kavala, Greece
| | - V G Kaburlasos
- HUman-MAchines INteraction Laboratory (HUMAIN-Lab), International Hellenic University, Agios Loukas, Kavala, Greece
| | - A Evangeliou
- Division of Child Neurology and Metabolic Disorders, 4th Department of Paediatrics, AUTH, Papageorgiou General Hospital, Periferiaki Odos, N. Efkarpia, Thessaloniki, Greece
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Şafak KK, Baturalp TB, Bozkurt S. Parametric Design and Prototyping of a Low-Power Planar Biped Robot. Biomimetics (Basel) 2023; 8:346. [PMID: 37622951 PMCID: PMC10452247 DOI: 10.3390/biomimetics8040346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Revised: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
This study proposes a design approach and the development of a low-power planar biped robot named YU-Bibot. The kinematic structure of the robot consists of six independently driven axes, and it weighs approximately 20 kg. Based on biomimetics, the robot dimensions were selected as the average anthropomorphic dimensions of the human lower extremities. The optimization of the mechanical design and actuator selection of the robot was based on the results of parametric simulations. The natural human walking gait was mimicked as a walking pattern in these simulations. As a result of the optimization, a low power-to-weight ratio of 30 W/kg was obtained. The drive system of the robot joints consists of servo-controlled brushless DC motors with reduction gears and additional bevel gears at the knee and ankle joints. The robot features spring-supported knee and ankle joints that counteract the robot's weight and compensate for the backlash present in these joints. The robot is constrained to move only in the sagittal plane by using a lateral support structure. The robot's feet are equipped with low-cost, force-sensitive resistor (FSR)-type sensors for monitoring ground contact and zero-moment point (ZMP) criterion. The experimental results indicate that the proposed robot mechanism can follow the posture commands accurately and demonstrate locomotion at moderate stability. The proposed parametric natural gait simulation-based design approach and the resulting biped robot design with a low power/weight ratio are the main contributions of this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koray K. Şafak
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Yeditepe University, Ataşehir, 34755 İstanbul, Türkiye
| | - Turgut Batuhan Baturalp
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Texas Tech University, P.O. Box 41021, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA;
| | - Selim Bozkurt
- School of Engineering, Ulster University—Belfast, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, York Street, Belfast BT15 1AP, UK
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Zhao J, Gu Y, Hou Q, Zhang Z. Research on Educational Robot System Based on Vision Processing. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 23:1038. [PMID: 36679835 PMCID: PMC9864534 DOI: 10.3390/s23021038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Revised: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Aimed at the poor recognition effect of current educational robots on objects with complex shapes and colors and the single design of related experiments, this paper proposes a robot teaching instrument. The robot adopts a servo motor with an encoder, a drive, and a variety of sensors to realize a motor current loop, speed loop, position loop, and closed-loop control functions. Three experimental schemes were designed: a PID adjustment experiment, a robot obstacle avoidance and object-grasping program writing experiment, and a complex object recognition experiment based on cascade classifiers. The robot is conducive to improving students' self-initiative ability, deepening their understanding of PID closed-loop control, multi-sensor fusion, and deep learning knowledge. It can improve students' programming ability, enabling them to effectively combine theory and practice, as well as to comprehensively apply professional knowledge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianwei Zhao
- School of Mechanical Electronic and Information Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Beijing 100089, China
- Institute of Artificial Intelligence, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Yutian Gu
- School of Mechanical Electronic and Information Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Beijing 100089, China
| | - Qifeng Hou
- School of Mechanical Electronic and Information Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Beijing 100089, China
| | - Zhiwei Zhang
- School of Mechanical Electronic and Information Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Beijing 100089, China
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Gubenko A, Houssemand C. Alternative Object Use in Adults and Children: Embodied Cognitive Bases of Creativity. Front Psychol 2022; 13:893420. [PMID: 36118496 PMCID: PMC9480609 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.893420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Why does one need creativity? On a personal level, improvisation with available resources is needed for online coping with unforeseen environmental stimuli when existing knowledge and apparent action strategies do not work. On a cultural level, the exploitation of existing cultural means and norms for the deliberate production of novel and valuable artifacts is a basis for cultural and technological development and extension of human action possibilities across various domains. It is less clear, however, how creativity develops and how exactly one arrives at generating new action possibilities and producing multiple alternative action strategies using familiar objects. In this theoretical paper, we first consider existing accounts of the creative process in the Alternative Uses Task and then present an alternative interpretation, drawing on sociocultural views and an embodied cognition approach. We explore similarities between the psychological processes underlying the generation of new uses in the Alternative Uses Task and children’s pretend play. We discuss possible cognitive mechanisms and speculate how the generation of new action possibilities for common objects in pretend play can be related to adults’ ability to generate new action strategies associated with object use. Implications for creativity development in humans and embodied artificial agents are discussed.
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Fitzgerald T, Goel A, Thomaz A. Modeling and Learning Constraints for Creative Tool Use. Front Robot AI 2021; 8:674292. [PMID: 34805287 PMCID: PMC8602113 DOI: 10.3389/frobt.2021.674292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 10/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Improvisation is a hallmark of human creativity and serves a functional purpose in completing everyday tasks with novel resources. This is particularly exhibited in tool-using tasks: When the expected tool for a task is unavailable, humans often are able to replace the expected tool with an atypical one. As robots become more commonplace in human society, we will also expect them to become more skilled at using tools in order to accommodate unexpected variations of tool-using tasks. In order for robots to creatively adapt their use of tools to task variations in a manner similar to humans, they must identify tools that fulfill a set of task constraints that are essential to completing the task successfully yet are initially unknown to the robot. In this paper, we present a high-level process for tool improvisation (tool identification, evaluation, and adaptation), highlight the importance of tooltips in considering tool-task pairings, and describe a method of learning by correction in which the robot learns the constraints from feedback from a human teacher. We demonstrate the efficacy of the learning by correction method for both within-task and across-task transfer on a physical robot.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tesca Fitzgerald
- Robotics Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Ashok Goel
- School of Interactive Computing, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Andrea Thomaz
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States
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