Robots4Autism "Milo"

Robots4Autism is a research based curriculum designed for children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder that can teach them social skills as they can interact with Milo, the robot. Milo can adjust his speech to the child's level of engagement, as the robot can read the child's emotions and level of attentiveness. Research shows that (1) Robots4Autism uses Evidence-Based Practices to discover relevant social information to teach social skills; (2) Children with autism are more engaged with Milo than with people; and (3) Children who are more engaged learn better. As stated above, Milo can read an individual’s emotions and level of attentiveness, and then adjust his verbal and non-verbal interactions to enable human-like social engagement. Milo initiates learning and educational games to keep students engaged through their entire lessons, and offers repetition of materials without frustration that is vital for a child to internalize lessons. As a therapy solution, Milo is patient and his child-like features don’t intimidate children. The visual symbols on Milo’s chest can help children to process what is being asked of them during lessons and practice sessions to gain a deeper understanding without them experiencing auditory sensory overload. The iPad (tablet) connected to Milo plays video and gives students tests during their lessons. The information captured by the iPad is recorded and sent to their therapists or other autism experts.