Zorabots: A suitable robot-mediated telerehabilitation interface

Abstract

Research on NAO robot-mediated Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) therapy intervention via telerehabilitation network has been gaining popularity in recent years. It eliminates the distance barrier between a therapist and a child with autism by allowing remote physical interactions between them thus enabling the therapy to be conducted even in a long-distance. In general, the system requires a robot, a child with autism, and a helper which normally is a close kin to be present at one place and a specialized therapist at another. Connected via remote communication technology such as the Internet of Robotics Things (IoRT), a remote therapist is able to monitor the therapy session through robot vision or its sensors and if necessary, provide physical feedbacks through robotic features such as voice or body movements. One of the system’s important aspects is the therapist’s interface controlling the robot. The interface must be user-friendly to non-programmer user yet having enough technical features to control a sophisticated NAO robot. Choregraphe, an official NAO robot platform and interface to program and control the NAO robot, has many advanced programming functions. Thus, it is considered quite intimidating to the non-programmer user, in this case, a specialized therapist. As an alternative to this interface, this paper reviews the suitability of commercially available software, Zorabots, as the therapist’s interface to monitor and control NAO Robot in telerehabilitation environments.