Comments on: Move over, Pinocchio, and interact with KASPAR

By: Kristina Chew, PhD

Kristina Chew, PhD — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 02:46:10 +0000

Thanks Bev—-Charlie used to have one of those mechanical dogs (actually, now as I remember, he had 2). He was very fond of them. He is currently very fearful of real dogs, precisely for their unpredictability—-I can feel his heart racing if he sees one unexpectedly. He’s particularly nervous around small dogs.

By: bev

bev — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 02:41:25 +0000

I think I would have enjoyed a robot playmate. Not sure how much value there is to it, that would probably depend on what the parent is looking for.
Most, I’d guess, would want to use it as a stepping stone of sorts to encourage play with human children.

I tend to think its value would lie in its ability to play with the non autistic friend or family member in the same way it interacts with the autistic person. This could serve as a learning experience for both parties, and all three might choose to play together.

Robots are much easier to figure out than people. Sure, it’s not going to help a child figure out how to deal with real people doing things like lying, forgetting, changing their minds, etc. But mechanical, like imaginary, friends can be useful companions to a child who just gets too exhausted and frustrated with less predictable others.

By: Kristina Chew, PhD

Kristina Chew, PhD — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 02:15:05 +0000

I’ve been trying to think of the rationale behind this: A robot would be “more consistent” than a real child? But I strive so to teach my son to live in a world of inconsistencies.

By: chrisd

chrisd — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 01:04:47 +0000

Robots to interact with kids. Hmmm. Is it cheaper than actual human beings?

Why should any humans interact with kids w/disabilities?

I don’t know. It seems somehow sad to me.