Affective Communication for Socially Assistive Robots (SARs) for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic...

Area of Science:

• Robotics
• Affective Computing
• Developmental Psychology

Background:

• Affective communication in socially assistive robots aims to enable emotional perception, expression, and response.
• The application of affective computing in social robots is limited, particularly for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
• Social robots utilize cognitive-affective models for human interaction, but child-robot dynamics, especially with emotional deficits, differ from adult interactions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review computational models of emotion specifically designed for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
• To investigate the definition, interaction, and design of these computational models.
• To analyze studies supported by theoretical psychology approaches within the specified timeframe.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature review of studies published between 1997 and 2021.
• Searches conducted across Scopus, Web of Science (WoS), Springer, and IEEE-Xplore databases.
• Analysis focused on research questions concerning the definition, interaction, and design of computational emotion models for children with ASD.

Main Results:

• A total of 46 articles were identified through the systematic review.
• Not all reviewed studies specifically focused on children or included individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
• The review highlighted a need for more targeted research on computational emotion models for this population.

Conclusions:

• The current body of research on computational emotion models for children with ASD is limited.
• Further investigation is needed to refine the definition, interaction design, and theoretical underpinnings of these models for effective use with children with ASD.
• Future research should prioritize studies that specifically address the unique needs and interaction patterns of children with autism spectrum disorder in the context of social robots.