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Subscribe to RSSMaria Cheng of AP reports: Eden Sawczenko used to recoil when other little girls held her hand and turned stiff when they hugged her. This year, the 4-year-old autistic girl began playing with a robot that teaches about emotions and physical contact — and now she hugs everyone.
Alastair Grant / AP
Eden Sawczenko reacts to 'Kaspar' the robot who is showing the 'Happy' stance of two open arms as she takes part in research project in Hatfield, England on Feb. 28. Eden attends a nursery for autistic children in Stevenage, north of London, where researchers bring in a human-looking, child-sized robot once a week for a supervised session.
"She's a lot more affectionate with her friends now and will even initiate the embrace," said Claire Sawczenko, Eden's mother.
The girl attends a pre-school for autistic children in Stevenage, north of London, where researchers bring in a human-looking, child-sized robot once a week for a supervised session. The children, whose autism ranges from mild to severe, play with the robot for up to 10 minutes alongside a scientist who controls the robot with a remote control.
Alastair Grant / AP
A girl named Megan (no last name given) reacts to 'Kaspar' the robot, seen in the background. She is enacting the two handed sign for hiding that copies the robot, in Hatfield, England on Feb. 28.
The robot, named Kaspar, is programmed to do things like smile, frown, laugh, blink and wave his arms. He has shaggy black hair, a baseball cap, a few wires protruding from his neck, and striped red socks. He was built by scientists at the University of Hertfordshire at a cost of about $2,100.
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That is one creepy looking doll.
That's what I said. I think that doll is terrifying.
It's the next chucky.
That thing will literally scare the autism off of kids.
Yeah, if by "friendly" they mean "creepy". Looks like the baby of Michael Meyers and Chucky.
The doll looks like it has down syndrome
I do not care what the doll looks like. If it helps autistic children connect physically and emotionally with others it is a good thing. Many of these children can not bear to be touched at all. If this doll helps them get past that, it is wonderful.
I'm so ashamed to consider myself in the same species as you people (excluding JS & SD and including most specifically Sifu).
I have worked with Autistic children for 3 years and this doll if it helps any one child is a God send!!!
Yes, how dare you people make jokes about a doll! SHAME!
/sarcasm
Maybe they need to make a doll that helps people gain a sense of humor.
I agree--you'd think they'd have better luck if it didn't look like a space alien version of Chucky.
Holy %$#@ it's Chucky's brother!!
It might look better if it had eyes. He looks like a cross between Chucky and Michael Myers.
there is a reason it doesnt have eyes.
Yahhhhh . I don't like the looks of that thing ! Looks like Trent Reznor with a ballcap !!
the kids are responding positively to it, and that's what matters. It looks like a great teaching tool. It's hard to teach autistic children body language and facial cues. Plus, having an autistic preschooler begin to hug and even being the person initiating the hugs is awsome. I like him. But I'm also a doll person.
I think it's a mix between Michael Myers in Wayne's World and Michael Myers from Halloween.
That is one freaky doll. Glad it's doing good things for autistic kids, but how about making it NOT look like Chucky?
Hey, if it works don't knock it.
I have an autistic child. They react to 3 dimensional objects ( people ) as if they are 2 dimensional ( photos ). Toys do not seem to affect them in this fashion. They would see this "Toy" as non threatening. It has a response they can control. Remember that autisic evaluation is much different than neurotypical response. You may view this robot as weird but obviously autisic children do not agree. After all , it's about their response , not yours. The first time a autisic child looks into their parents eyes and accepts a hug or offers one is a miracle and an emotional high like no other. You have to feel it to understand. Besides , is it any weirder than , say spiderman. In my opinion ,if it helps them feel their emotions appropriately and express them appropriately , so what. It's better than talking bears ,puppies or whatever. Like thos encourage reality. Or maybe you would prefer a talking purple dinosaur.
The majority of people who have posted here are reacting as if they are still in school and picking on some one becasue they look different. It's just an ugly doll to them and they are unable to emotionally respond themselves. Maybe a session with the doll for them would be good?
That is one creepy looking doll even if its name is Kaspar. A name more fitting is Slasher. Does it come in the Satanic version where its head spins around while puking green pea soup.
Look at the smile on that child's face! Autistic kids are intimidated by eye contact. The robot was designed to help relate to autistic kids and is obviously a success.
My oldest has autism but I think he would be afraid of that thing. He hates scary movies and that lookslike it jumped out of one.
Somebody save those children from that murderous doll!!!
Yeah, I don't think anybody here is opposed to the good this doll is doing for autistic children. But, that doesn't mean it's still not a creepy looking doll. I certainly don't want it in my bedroom while I'm trying to sleep. What nightmares that doll would inspire. LOL, it looks like, if it got dark enough, it'd jump up and run across the floor.
Go to Kaspar's website (the link is in the article.) It doesn't look as freaky as the photos in this article. The website also explains more about Kaspar. It's pretty fascinating!
Most people with autism find eye contact very difficult. Likely the children playing with the robot (SUPERVISED FOR 10 MINUTES, IT SAYS) do not even notice the "creepy" eyes, nor would they find them disturbing. Notice that it isn't a "doll" - it's a science-based robot, built for a specific purpose. And the children with autism are responding well to it. No, it's not something you would collect and place on a shelf in your living room, or hand to your child to play with. Please educate yourselves on what autism is, and be more welcoming to scientific advances which pose no moral quandry for the students and their families. *A high-functioning young man with autism I worked with wanted desperately to be able to initiate physical contact, and we began with high-fives and handshakes. Although it is still hard for him, he can now give me a sideways hug. This process took several years, and he was in his late teens when we parted ways. I believe he would have greatly benefitted from this robot.
sovery, Thanks for your comments which help us all to better understand dealing with autism.
My luck I'd wake up in the middle of the night and find Kaspar sitting on my night stand staring at me with those black eyes! Then it'd turn into some scene off those weird Chucky movies from the 80's!
But when is it going to start looking for Sarah Connor?
Of course how something looks is so very important. I would argue that those that are so concerned about the appearance of this fledgling technology probably did not read the entire article. This technology will of course advance and the will pretty it up. As a parent of autistic child the device is yet another possibly aid in moving children into our world and is yet another ray of hope. 1 in 110 children is now being diagnosed with autism. The cost of not treating it will result in children needing cradle to grave government services about $4000000 for their lifetimes. A cost that all of us will endure as taxpayers. How something appears is really a simple way of looking at an epidemic that could end up costing us all a lot of money.
Why on Earth didn't they give it eyeballs!!! That horrible vacent stare......that's the thing nightmares are made of!
This such exciting news. I am very impressed. I have an Austic son, through therapy, love and an determine set of parents, he has developed into an amazing young boy, who expresses his feelings well. If this doll helps children, wooow! Their future's will be even more brighter. I hope we adopt the program here in the US.
Dear big gov is ?
My heart goes out to you and parents around the world with an autistic child. How wonderful to find ways for the child to appropriately express their feelings and connect with others. From reading most of the comments it looks like we could all benefit from an education on autism and also an education on how to express ourselves appropriately.
I work specifically with autistic students in public schools. I clicked on this article for obvious reasons and also did a wide-eyed double take of this incredibly creepy looking doll, also specifically thinking of Chucky (who I was terrified of when I was 4 or 5), so I understand the humor in that small way. HOWEVER, the looks of the doll, outside of it's general representation of being a small child, really don't matter. The children just need to feel comfortable enough with it to follow it's social cues.
I appreciate the intelligent feedback that those who have knowledge and/or experience with autism have left here.
I also appreciate the humorously unrestrained comments of those criticizing the doll. (Don't get me wrong, some of them were just ignorant, but some were innocent fun about a creepy looking toy.)
When the public makes subjects such as this taboo to criticize it does nothing to bridge the gap between disability and social inclusion, which is one of the most important goals those of us working publicly with people with autism work toward.