Embedded multimodal nonverbal and verbal interactions between a mobile toy robot and autistic children

We studied the multimodal nonverbal and verbal relationship between autistic children and a mobile toy robot during free spontaneous game play. A range of cognitive nonverbal criteria including eye contact, touch, manipulation, and posture were analyzed; the frequency of the words and verbs was calculated. Embedded multimodal interactions of autistic children and a mobile toy robot suggest that this robot could be used as a neural orthesis in order to improve children's brain activity and incite child to express language.