Robots to help the autistic

Popsci has an interesting development in humanoid robots which can help people with autism to improve their daily lives with social interactions and communication in general. "Bandit" is a robot prototype designed to interact with autistic children. It is fitted with two video cameras in the eyes and microphones. This humanoid robot is the same size as the child who therefore is not frightened by it. Its infrared sensors analyze the position of the child in the room. Then Bandit can gesture to the child to come closer. It can show a specific facial expression and move its arms to communicate. Its intelligence allows it to analyze the situation and engage in the most appropriate way with the child. And it walks. It would appear that children with autism have more trust in a robot than a human being. This suggests significant promising advances in the field.