Action protocol for the use of robotics in students with Autism Spectrum Disoders: A systematic-review

Abstract

During the last two decades, the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) has opened new paths in the intervention of people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). These may include intervention based on "social robots". This research aims to review the state of scientific production on social robotics in the intervention of students with ASD during 2000–2019 to establish an action protocol in the use of this tool through a list of bibliometric indicators. To achieve this objective, we worked through the main collection of the Web of Science (WoS), obtaining a sample of 69 articles.The results indicate that the authors with the highest scientific production are American, even though they do not own the most cited articles in the field. In this sense, the great number of publications are indexed in the JCR Q1. Likewise, two journals are the work core of the field of study. Moreover, the vast majority of the studies are focused in different areas such as: communication and social interaction, repeated and stereotyped patterns of behaviour, interest, or activity. As a conclusion, robotics is a tool increasingly used by students with ASD. Moreover, robotics can be applied through a protocol based on the indicators analyzed. Therefore, future researchers in the field would use the indicators to determine, for example, which area to work in, which year they could obtain information or which journals publish the highest quality research. With the information provided by these indicators, a robotic intervention could be implemented.