Research Forum

Independence and social participation are impaired when children with physical disabilities encounter obstacles in interacting with their environment. In the funded project “Assistance robots for the playful support and integration of children with disabilities,” scientists are developing a personalized assistance robot. The project is being subsidized with a sum of €150,000 over a three-year period.

Current assistance technologies are able to compensate for individual physical limitations in children. To date, however, they have hardly given any consideration to the social and emotional aspects of infantile development. In this new funded project, the scientists are developing an innovative assistance robot that provides both physical and social support for children with physical disabilities.

The interdisciplinary funded project is based on a humanoid robot on wheels – TIAGo Pro from the company PAL Robotics – that is to be further developed into a friendly “robotic pal.” The robot will not replace human contact, but will rather open up new opportunities for joint activity. The mechanical assistant is intended to support children in playful or creative activities, while also promoting social interaction. This is achieved for example through gestures, verbal encouragement, or joint play activities together with other children.

The robot is to be controlled via various individual interfaces such as joysticks, VR headsets, suitable motion sensors, or voice input. Children can operate the robot and take part in activities in a way that is suited to them and is safe. Innovative control and AI concepts ensure that the robot can intelligently adapt its movements and interactions and act in close physical proximity to children.

This interdisciplinary project integrates the disciplines of robotics, artificial intelligence, developmental psychology, and kinesiology. The aim is to develop the functional prototype of a personalized assistance robot that combines physical support with social interaction. In the long term, the technologies being developed should open up new perspectives for empathetic assistance systems that reinforce the autonomy, self-confidence, and social participation of children with disabilities. In future, these are expected to be used in education, therapy, and the home environment.