Blog Post
Socially intelligent robot helps autistic Somerset pupils
BBC • Jul 08, 2021
A robot has been helping autistic pupils with regulating their emotions in a three-week long research project.
Pepper the robot based at The Mendip School in Somerset has been taking part in social activities designed to help autistic pupils with their wellbeing.
Children at the school have been able to approach the robot for help in the three-week project.
The Mendip School said autistic pupils have now found a new "confidence" to socially interact with others.
The Bristol Robotics lab based at the University of the West of England helped to develop the technology using pupils and teachers input to decide how it would best support students in need.
Mendip School's assistant headteacher, Iian Conley, said: ''Since Pepper arrived at the school there has been a lot of dancing and the children have also really enjoyed the robot's jokes.
"Children who wouldn't normally socially interact with others are now choosing to interact with their peers.
"It's great to see students willing to communicate with the robot where they might struggle with adults and children, and to see them opening up their friendship groups.''
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) - its medical name - is the name for a range of conditions which affect how a person communicates and interacts with the world around them, as well as their interests and behaviour.
It is estimated that about one in every 100 people in the UK is autistic.
