Atypical eye gazing in autistic children playing with a humanoid: can we use technologies to boost diagnostic precision?

This study explores using humanoid robots to improve the diagnosis and intervention of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) through objective measures, gaze pattern analysis specifically. Traditional ASD diagnostic tools rely on subjective assessments, while our approach uses the iCub robot to provide quantitative metrics. In our proof-of-concept study, the robot engaged children in interactive games to assess mutual gaze. Results showed that neurotypical children maintained more eye contact compared to children with ASD. This highlights the potential of humanoid robots to offer objective, standardized measures that can improve the accuracy of ASD diagnoses and interventions.