Autism spectrum disorder affects 1 in 36 children in the United States. The developmental disability can cause significant social, communication and behavioral challenges.
Designed to address some of the complex issues of ASD, Build-a-Robot is used to assist young children in understanding and talking about different emotions while also strengthening fine motor skills.
Research into ASD indicates that the learning, thinking and problem-solving abilities of people with ASD can range from gifted to severely challenged.
Designing this product for PlanToys, a team of special education teachers, ASD researchers, parents, children and therapists was formed to address this challenge.
As children with ASD might have trouble understanding other people's feelings or talking about their own feelings, parents and teachers can use the robot as a tool.
Four interchangeable heads feature the following emotions, from left to right, anger, surprise, happiness and sadness.
Sensory issues such as hypersensitivity and hyposensitivity are addressed with different tactile and auditory elements.
Each of the interchangeable heads feature the different tactile experiences of soft felt, ridges and bumps. The surprised head emits a soft squeak when the button on the top of the head is depressed.
Fine motor strength is increased by having to use different muscles to attach the robot's body parts.
The palmar grip can be used to detach and attach the heads if fine motor strength is not as well-developed, while the pincer grip is used to move the arms and adjust the legs from standing to sitting positions.
Build-a-Robot was designed to appeal to all children, but the challenges that kids with Autism Spectrum Disorder face are the inspiration behind the design.
- Violet Stevens