應用機器人為自閉症孩童學習夥伴之研究

Exploring the Use of Robots as Learning Companions for Children with Autism

本研究擬探討機器人在提升自閉症兒童於社會互動學習的成效，同時比較不同擬人程度的機器人對互動與學習的影響。本研究規劃三個互動內容作為實驗情境，並製作中度和低度擬人機器人原型為實驗工具，受試者為五位高功能自閉症兒童，受試者以一對一的方式分別與兩個機器人進行三次互動實驗，記錄與觀察兒童與機器人的互動情形，包括學習任務完成度與社會互動行為。研究結果顯示，自閉症兒童願意與機器人互動，隨著與機器人接觸次數的增加，兒童對機器人會表現出更為社會性的互動行為；在任務學習方面，兩個機器人結合實體與圖卡教具都可順利進行教學活動，兒童多能完成學習任務。然而，在誘導自閉症兒童模仿機器人的肢體動作上，中度擬人機器人的四肢有更好的活動性，能有效地吸引兒童的注意力並提升他們模仿動作的意願；在社會互動方面，中度擬人機器人呈現較豐富的社會線索更能引發兒童的社會回應，社會線索可豐富機器人的社會性，有助於兒童在互動中練習社交行為與輪流對話。本研究顯示機器人可作為自閉症兒童學習的教學夥伴，可提供相關業者設計出具有成效且製作合理的社會輔助機器人。

This study explored whether the use of humanoid robots can engage children with autism in learning and develop their social skills, and examined the effects of anthropomorphic appearances and behaviors on children’s learning performance. We developed three learning scenarios for robots to interact with austic children, and created a low-anthropomorphic and a middle-anthropomorphic robots as experimental tools. Five autisic children were recruited to participate in this study. They one-on-one interacted with the two robots respectively in the three sessions. The collected data included particpnats’ completion of required tasks and social interactions with the robots. The results of this study revealed that participants were willing to interact with the two robots. They would display more social behaviors after multiple interactions with the robots. The both robots could engage participants in learning activities with instruction materials such as toys or picture cards. The difference between the two robots was observed in the physical exercise task. The middle-anthropomorphic robot, having better movement in arms and legs, could receive the participants’ attention and enhance their motivation to do physical exercise. As for the social interaction, the middle-anthropomorphic robot exhibiting more social cues was more effective in evoking the particpants’ social responses. Social cues can be employed to enhance a robot’s sociability, helping engage children in practicing social behaviors and turn-taking with a robot. The study suggests the potential of the use of robots as educational companions for children with autism. The fi ndings of this study provide references for manufacturers to develop social robots for children with autism at reasonable cost.