SYSTEM AND METHOD OF PERVASIVE DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDER INTERVENTIONS

• US 20130078600A1
• Filed: 08/29/2012
• Published: 03/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Worcester Polytechnic Institute
• Original Assignee: Worcester Polytechnic Institute
• Inventors: Su, Hao, Fischer, Gregory S., Alexander, Elizabeth V., Harrington, Kevin, Dickstein-Fischer, Laurie
• Granted Patent: US 10,176,725 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 434/236
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/00 Teaching not covered by other main groups of this subclass teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying F41G3/26

Abstract

Methods and systems for observing/analyzing, interactive behavior are presented. In one instance, the method for observing/analyzing interactive behavior includes interacting, using a robot, with a subject and obtaining data from interaction between the subject and the robot, the data from the data acquisition components, the data being used for diagnosis and/or charting progress. In one instance, the robot includes data acquisition components, interaction inducing components (such as, but not limited to, movable eyelids, movable appendages, sound generating components), a control component operatively connected to the interaction inducing components and a processing component operatively connected to the control component and the data acquisition components, the processing component being configured to obtain data from the data acquisition components, the data being used for diagnosis and/or charting progress. In one instance, the robot is integrated with a computer-aided system for diagnosis, monitoring, and therapy.

Claims

1. A robot comprising:

a number of actuators;

a number of sensors;

interaction inducing components operatively connected to at least some others of the actuators;

a control component operatively connected to the actuators; and

a processing component operatively connected to the control component and to the sensors;

the processing component comprising computer usable media having computer readable code embodied therein that instructs a processor in the processing component to;

operate the interaction inducing components according to predetermined instructions; and

obtaining data from interaction between a subject and the robot;

wherein the data is used for diagnosis and/or charting progress.

2. The robot of claim 1 wherein computer readable code embodied therein instructs the processor in the processing component to communicate with a process in at least one external system, wherein communication between the processor and one external system comprises receiving, from the one external system, at the processor, instructions for operating the interaction inducing components;

and wherein the instructions are provided by a supervisor.

6. The robot of claim 1 further comprising:

appendages operatively connected to some other of the actuators;

the appendages configured to provide appendage motion.

7. The robot of claim 1 further comprising a component configured to dispense an object to a subject.

8. The robot of claim 1, wherein one or more of the actuators are coupled to an interaction component through a compliant means.

9. The robot of claim 1 further comprising:

a base;

a rotatable structure disposed above the base and

a head structure operatively connected to the rotatable structure and configured to perform tilt and roll motions;

the head structure comprising two eye-like components;

each eye-like component configured to move with at least one degree of freedom;

each eye-like component comprising an imaging sensor;

some of the actuators being operatively connected to the rotatable structure and the head structure.

10. The robot of claim 6 wherein some of the sensors are disposed on the appendages and operatively connected to the processing component.

11. The robot of claim 1 wherein the at least some of the sensors are located in eye-like components, and the at least some of the sensors comprise imaging sensors;

wherein the computer readable code instructs the processor to recognize and classify one or more aspects of a subject'"'"'s behavior after interacting with the robot.

12. The robot of claim 1 wherein the processing component also comprises a data storage component;

and wherein the computer readable code also instructs the processor to provide quantitative assessment of therapy progress or quantitative diagnosis.

3. The robot of claim wherein the computer readable code instructs the processor to communicate with a process in an interface external system having a display;

and, wherein the interaction between the robot and the subject comprises an interaction between the subject and objects displayed on the display and generated by the process operating in the interface external system.

4. The robot of claim 3 wherein communication between the processor and one external system comprises receiving, from the another external system, at the processor, instructions for the process at the interface external system and for operating the interaction inducing components, wherein the instructions are based on applied behavior analysis therapy.

5. The robot of claim 3 wherein a game is displayed in the display;

wherein a game character represents at least one of a subject or the robot.

13. A method for observing/analyzing interactive behavior, the method comprising:

interacting, using a robot, with a subject; and

obtaining data from interaction between the subject and the robot;

the robot comprising;

data acquisition components;

interaction inducing components including at least one of movable eyes, movable eyelids, moveable head, movable appendages, and sound generating components;

a control component operatively connected to the interaction inducing components; and

a processing component operatively connected to the control component, the data acquisition components;

the processing component configured to obtain data from the data acquisition components;

wherein the data is used for diagnosis and/or charting progress.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the robot comprises a communication component fix communicating with one or more external systems;

wherein the processing component comprises computer usable media having computer readable code embodied therein that causes a processor to communicate with a process in at least one external system.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the processing component communicates with a process in one external system;

wherein the one external system is an interface system having a display; and

wherein the interaction between the robot and the subject comprises an interaction between the subject and objects displayed on the display and generated by the process operating in the interface system.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein communication between the processor and the one external system comprises receiving, from another external system, at the processor, instructions for the process at the one external system;

and wherein the instructions are provided by a supervisor.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein a game is displayed in the display of the interface system;

wherein a game character represents at least one of a subject and the robot.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the subject operates the game using a game controller or through their interactions with the robot.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the robot operates as a game controller;

and wherein the subject also interacts with the robot.

20. The method of claim 14 wherein the processor communicates with the process in one external system;

wherein the one external system is a system used by a supervisor; and

wherein the system provides instructions to the processing component for the interaction.

21. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

storing the data;

and wherein the processing component comprises storage components.

22. The method of claim 14 further comprising communicating with another external system.

23. The method of claim 13 wherein the interaction includes interactions between the robot, another robot and the subject.

24. The method of claim 13 wherein the interaction includes interactions between the subject, one or more additional living beings, and the robot.

25. The method of claim 13 wherein the processing component comprises computer usable media having computer readable code embodied therein that causes a processor to operate the interaction inducing components.

26. A method for observing/analyzing interactive behavior, the method comprising:

receiving at an external system data from interaction between a subject and a robot;

the robot comprising;

data acquisition components;

interaction inducing components (movable eyelids, movable appendages, sound generating components);

a control component operatively connected to the interaction inducing components; and

a processing component operatively connected to the control component,

the data acquisition components;

the processing, component configured to obtain data from the data acquisition components; and

using the data for diagnosis and/or charting progress.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the data is used to provide one or more quantitative measures related to the diagnosis.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the quantitative measures are derived in whole or in part from standard assessment criteria.

29. The method of claim 26 wherein the data is used to provide one or more quantitative measures related to treatment progress, wherein the quantitative measures are used for charting treatment progress.

30. The method of claim 26 wherein data from previous interactions between the subject and the robot is stored at the external system;

and wherein the data from the interaction between the subject and the robot and the data from previous interactions are used to chart progress of the subject.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the data is further used to modify behavior of the robot and optimize course of therapy.

32. The method of claim 26 wherein the data is used to perform at least one aspect of a diagnosis.

33. A system for observing/analyzing interactive behavior, the system comprising:

a robot comprising

a number of actuators;

a number of sensors;

interaction inducing components operatively connected to at least some others of the actuators;

a control component operatively connected to the actuators; and

a processing component operatively connected to the control component and to the sensors;

the processing component comprising computer usable media having computer readable code embodied therein that instructs a processor in the processing component to;

communicate with a process in at least one external system;

operate the interaction inducing components according to predetermined instructions; and

obtain data from interaction between a subject and the robot;

wherein the data is used for diagnosis and/or charting progress; and

an external system configured to communicate with the robot, the system comprising;

a supervisory processing component configured to communicate with the robot;

the supervisory processing component configured to obtain data from interaction between a subject and the robot;

the supervisory processing component also configured to use the data for diagnosis and/or charting progress; and

a display operatively connected to the supervisory processing component.

34. The system of claim 33 wherein the system also comprises a haptic device operatively connected to the robot.

35. The system of claim 33 wherein the system also comprises a haptic device operatively connected to the robot;

and wherein the external system comprises another haptic device operatively connected to the supervisory processing component;

wherein, when a supervisor operates said another haptic device, a haptic profile is obtained; and

wherein the supervisory processing component is configured to receive the haptic profile and communicate a haptic profile to the processing component in the robot.

36. The system of claim 33 wherein the external system also comprises an interface component operatively connected to one or more control input component.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein one or more control inputs are provided from a puppet-like device mimicking motion of the robot.

38. The system of claim 33 wherein the supervisory processing component is configured to provide a quantitative assessment of therapy progress.

39. The system of claim 33 wherein the robot comprises one or more imaging sensors;

and wherein the computer readable code instructs the processor in the robot To recognize and classify one or more aspects of a subject'"'"'s behavior after interacting with the robot.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein the processor in the robot utilizes information from the one or more imaging sensors to recognize behavior of one or more of face, eyes, eyebrows, lips, head, and appendages of the subject.