Robot-Based Intervention for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Literature Review

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have deficits in the socio-communicative domain and frequently face severe difficulties recognition expression of emotions. Existing literature suggested that children ASD benefit from robot-based interventions. However, studies varied considerably participant characteristics, applied robots, trained skills. Here, we reviewed interventions targeting emotion-related skills for following guidelines Preferred Reporting Items Systematic Reviews Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. We systematically searched all relevant articles published English language until April 2021, using databases Scopus, Web Science, PubMed. From a total 609 identified papers, 60 publications including 50 original 10 non-empirical review theoretical were eligible synthesis. A 892 participants included intervention studies; 570 them ASD. Nao Zeca most used robots; Recognition basic emotions getting into interaction skills; while happiness, sadness, fear, anger The reported wide range challenges respect to intervention, ranging limitations certain subgroups security aspects robots efforts regarding automatic children’s emotional state by robotic systems. Finally, summarised discussed recommendations application