This unique AI-based robot therapy
method has been developed for rehabilitating
children with autism spectrum disorders.
It was created by Nazarbayev University engineer
Anar Sandygulova, who noted that work on the project
began in 2018 at a children’s rehabilitation center in Astana. That’s when it became clear how a smart assistant
should interact with children. The
robot helps capture attention and encourages dialogue with
a key advantage – communicating at eye level, especially with
children who avoid eye contact. The project
has received copyright protection and was highly praised in Sweden, with patent
applications planned for the United States and EU countries.
«The
robot has cameras that recognize how much the child smiles and whether they
make eye contact. We track all this data. We also use structured lesson plans,
similar to those used by teachers. For example, we start with a fairy tale,
then move on to a game called ‘touch me,’ where the robot asks the child: ‘please
touch my head,’ ‘touch my hand,’ or ‘touch my feet,’» said Anara Sandygulova,
Associate Professor of the Robotics
Department at NU.
A school student from Atyrau, Bekarys Yerikuly, has developed a smart robot for remote learning. His device can conduct video lessons, display educational materials, and even move on command. The design is simple and user-friendly: the robot is controlled via Bluetooth from a smartphone and connects to video calls through Wi-Fi. The student believes such devices could be useful not only in schools, but also in hospitals, government offices, and service centers. His next goal is to integrate AI and make the robot fully autonomous.
«My
robot will be able to work for 5 to 10 years. I already have a website through
which doctors or specialists can use the robot to work remotely and communicate
with clients. For schoolchildren and teachers, this is an opportunity to stay connected and hold lessons online,» shared the project author Bekarys Yerikuly.
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