Generating Social Interactions with Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder, through a Gesture Imitation Game Led by a Humanoid Robot, in Collaboration with a Human Educator

This article describes a pilot study aiming at generating social interactions between a humanoid robot and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), through the practice of a gesture imitation game. The participants were a 17-year-old young lady with ASD and intellectual deficit, and a control participant: a preadolescent with ASD but no intellectual deficit (Asperger syndrome). The game is comprised of four phases: greetings, pairing, imitation, and closing. Field educators were involved, playing specific roles: visual or physical inciter. The use of a robot allows for catching the participants’ attention, playing the imitation game for a longer period of time than with a human partner, and preventing the game partner’s negative facial expressions resulting from tiredness, impatience, or boredom. The participants’ behavior was observed in terms of initial approach towards the robot, positioning relative to the robot in terms of distance and orientation, reactions to the robot’s voice or moves, signs of happiness, and imitation attempts. Results suggest a more and more natural approach towards the robot during the sessions, as well as a higher level of social interaction, based on the variations of the parameters listed above. We use these preliminary results to draw the next steps of our research work as well as identify further perspectives, with this aim in mind: improving social interactions with adolescents with ASD and intellectual deficit, allowing for better integration of these people into our societies.