Programming Robotic Behavior by High-Functioning Autistic Children

Abstract

This study focused on examining the ability of a high-functioning autistic child to program robotic behavior and to understand how they describe and construct the robot's behavior using iconic programming software. The robotic learning environment was based on iPad, an iconic programming software (KinderBot), and EV3. The results of this study show how the participant succeeded in programming the behavior of an “other” at different programming complexity levels (from simple action to combinations of states of two binary sensors and rule with subroutine). A transformation from procedural to declarative description was also found.