Romanian center introduces robot-assisted therapy for autistic children

The Marea Neagră Autism Center in Constanța, a city on the Romanian Black Sea coast, has started using two Nao V6 humanoid robots in the therapy of children it caters to.

The first session with the two robots is scheduled for today, April 2, the World Autism Awareness Day.

The two robots will be involved in 20-minute therapy sessions, where they will ask questions and provide answers. They can also dance, sing, or offer humorous comments.

“Nao is considered the most spectacular humanoid robots in the world. It works in over 200 educational institutions, speaks 22 languages and was showcased in more than 100 countries in the world. It was used as part of the Robot for Autism project. Specialists regard the results achieved as spectacular because Nao is a powerful motivator for any child. Nao is not a trial, a test or a prototype. It is a certainty that had several upgrades in the 14 years it has been on the market. Usually, the child avoids the contact with the specialist, regardless of them being educators, teachers or psychologists, but in the relationship with Nao the communication and everything related to interaction comes naturally,” Adrian Gemanaru, the president of the Marea Neagră Therapy Center, said.

The Nao project is implemented in Romania with a EUR 35,000 financing received through the “RO Smart în Țara lui Andrei” program, initiated by OMV Petrom.

The Marea Neagră Center also has a partnership with the Bucharest Polytechnic University for a pilot project involving the use of Nao in the therapy of autistic children. The project aims to implement a therapeutic program adapted into Romanian and allowing psychologists better communication and interaction with children.

Nao will also tour several cities in Romania to interact with more children. It will be present at most educational fairs and exhibitions held locally.

Nao was developed by Paris-based Aldebaran Robotics, which was acquired by SoftBank Group in 2015 and rebranded as SoftBank Robotics.

(Photo: courtesy of Plus Communication)