*** For immediate use 28 May 2018

Hong Kong, 28 May 2018 - NEC Hong Kong today announced that the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) and NECHK join hands by signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to promote CUHK’s Robot-based Intervention Programme named “Robot for Autism Behavioral Intervention” (RABI) for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in Hong Kong. The interdisciplinary research team led by Prof. So Wing-Chee, Associate Professor from the Department of Educational Psychology at CUHK, has designed a new series of social and self-care training programmes which are tailored to meet the diverse learning needs and verbal abilities of autistic children. These programmes will be deployed with NEC social robot “HUMANE” to provide language communication, self-care and behavioral training. To benefit more autistic children, these programmes will be offered to special schools and non-profit organizations. Prof. So’s team will also provide free training services at CUHK during the summer. 

 

The children with ASD are characterized by impairments in communication and social interaction and behavioral malfunctioning. In addition, they have sensory issues and often produce certain maladaptive responses, which are termed “challenging behaviours”. Such behaviours worsen with age emphasizes the need for early intervention. 

 

The robot-based training can be considered as an effective early intervention for gestural communication, it may even help children whose language and motor skills are delayed. The programme of “Robot for Autism Behavioral Intervention” (RABI) deployed with NEC Social Robot “HUMANE” have designed dramas and role plays training that tailored for 3- to 7-year-old autistic children who have diverse learning needs and verbal abilities. The robot drama demonstrations that such as riding on a bus, studying in a classroom or seeing a doctor. For example, a robot acting a child with ASD loses temper and yells at its sibling due to the sudden change of the schedule. Then the parent robots explain the change and teach the child robot how to express the anger or anxiety appropriately.

 

Under the training programme, with technical support from NECHK, “HUMANE” will communicate with autistic children to improve their social skills such as concentration, eye contact and mental interpretation. “HUMANE” will also play dramas to demonstrate certain appropriate behaviors for autistic children to follow at homes and in schools. Also, equipped with language learning ability, “HUMANE” can understand and respond to Cantonese instructions and will become a good teacher in schools and a companion at homes.

 

Prof. Alvin Leung Seung Ming, Dean of Education of CUHK, said, “The robot-based intervention programmes designed and implemented by Prof So’s team have made them pioneers in incorporating technology into special needs education in the university and education settings. The big data collected from these programmes can guide researchers interested in autism and other special needs to delve into the individual variations in verbal and nonverbal behaviours of these atypically-developing children, thereby generating more effective intervention programmes. This service, with its effectiveness supported by empirical evidence, proves that our Faculty can successfully transfer knowledge to the community and, even more promising, make a significant and positive impact on society in Hong Kong, and around the world. The Faculty of Education is looking forward to collaborating with NECHK and increasing the well-being of children in need.” 

 

“HUMANE” is the key to RABI. It is a user-friendly robot which controllers can use a computer to carry out all preset training programmes. Children can be trained at any time and locations, which is suitable for schools and non-profit organizations. 

 

Ms. Elsa Wong, Managing Director of NECHK, said, “NEC Social Robot “HUMANE” was developed specifically for human interaction. NEC has developed not only the non-judgmental and cute robot, but also a friendly and smooth communication robot for children and the elderly, which can communicate interactively in Cantonese with human-like expression, including facial expression. In order to provide personalised services, “HUMANE” is designed to use its cameras, microphones and sensors to record the child’s facial expressions and body language as they interact. Then, the range of data that is collected by cloud-based applications can be analyzed and indicate the most effective way to gain the child’s attention for further communication and teaching. By connecting “HUMANE” to the cloud by its Wi-Fi network function, it is possible to use cloud-based applications tailored to a wide range of purposes and goals, such as caregiving and education. “HUMANE” is not only an effective teaching tool, but it can also be the child’s best friend for developing communication and social skills.”