Design and Ethical Concerns in Robotic Adjunct Therapy Protocols for Children with Autism

Abstract

Children born with disabilities are now under the spotlight where researchers worldwide are exploring the applications of robots for possible intervention methods. However, these children are in the most ‘vulnerable’ group of research subjects and ethical considerations are paramount towards research developments in human-robot interaction (HRI) that are accurate and responsible. Based on prior and current experiences, this paper focuses specifically on the clinical applications of robots in therapy for children with autism. A set of procedures is proposed to serve as guidelines to researchers who are looking into this research area. Considerations of the technical and ethical context, plus the role of multidisciplinary teams from engineering and medical backgrounds need to come together to fulfill the research aim. Then only the increased validity of robotic applications in therapeutic context for autism intervention can be established.