机器人治疗自闭症，竟胜在“眼神与微笑”！两大临床试验132名孩子给出答案

Core Insights - The article discusses a significant study published in "Science Robotics" that provides robust clinical evidence for the use of robotic therapy in treating children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) [1][4]. Group 1: Clinical Challenges - Traditional therapies for ASD face challenges due to children's difficulties in social interaction and communication, leading to a decline in interest and attention during repetitive training sessions [5]. - Robots are seen as potential ideal therapists due to their predictable behavior and ability to maintain children's interest, but past research has lacked sufficient clinical evidence [5] [6]. Group 2: Research Design - The study employed a rigorous methodology, conducting both efficacy and effectiveness trials to assess the therapy's performance under ideal and real-world conditions [6][7]. - The efficacy trial involved 69 children aged 4.4 years on average, comparing robot-assisted therapy (RAT) with standard human therapy (SHT) across three core skills: imitation, joint attention, and turn-taking [8][10]. Group 3: Key Findings - Both trials confirmed that robot-assisted therapy achieved statistically equivalent results to traditional therapy in improving core social skills [12]. - Children showed significantly higher engagement with robots, evidenced by increased eye contact (8.01 vs. 5.54) and smiles (7.72 vs. 3.80) during tasks, addressing the issue of declining interest in traditional therapies [16]. - The simplified version of the robot therapy platform was effective even in real educational settings, demonstrating its potential as a supplementary tool [18]. Group 4: Broader Implications - The study establishes a standardized protocol for robot-assisted interventions, moving beyond fragmented explorations in the field [20]. - The high engagement levels provided by robots offer new solutions to motivation issues in traditional therapies, transforming repetitive exercises into interactive games [21]. - Future research aims to enhance robot capabilities with advanced sensors and AI for more personalized interactions, making the technology accessible to a broader audience [21].