20/01/2011 - Lectures, Projects
Radio interview on educational robotics and autism on Italian National Radio
Reading time: 0.5 minutesEmanuele Micheli interviewed by Italian Radio Channel 1 on Educational Robotics for children with Autism.
Robots can be used as educational technology to help parents and therapists in teaching children with autism. Autism is a disorder affecting very young children, undermining their ability to interact socially, and communicate effectively. Sensory integration therapy is used to help children with autism get used to situations that they are sensitive to, in a fashion that is not distressing to the child. This type of therapy assumes that the distress felt by autistic children is the result of over-stimulation, or under-stimulation.
In a very interesting article by Mark Turner, the author quotes the discovery by Italian neuroscientist Giacomo Rizzolatti and co-workers about the "mirror neurons" and other recent studies aboput the brain areas underpinning imitation. It appears that mirror neurons seem to control functions that are lacking in children with autism.
The project that Emanuele Micheli of the School of Robotics is carrying out in collaboratyion with the Accademia Philos forsees the use of robotics kits and small robots to enhance imitation capoabilioties in chilcdren affected by autism.