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Volume 25, Issue 1
  • ISSN 1572-0373
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Abstract

Abstract

MyJay is an open-source robot designed to facilitate play between children with and without physical disabilities. The robot acts as a proxy for children with upper limb challenges, allowing them to participate in physical games with their peers. Our design was inspired by the FIRST Robotics Competition, which involves teleoperating robots to manipulate objects. Taking a user-centred perspective, we consulted therapists and conducted remote interviews with children with disabilities and their guardians at various stages of the design process. We then conducted an in-person feasibility study with 18 typically developing children in a school setting. The study involved children teleoperating the robot to pick up and throw balls into a designated goal, and the interaction was evaluated using the user experience questionnaire and the Robotic Social Attributes Scale. The results of the study show great potential for MyJay to act as a play mediator in various scenarios, and the response from the children was positive. The ultimate aim of our research agenda is to pave the way towards creating more inclusive play environments through robot-mediated interactions, breaking barriers posed by physical limitations.

© 2024 John Benjamins Publishing Company
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2024-06-07
2025-04-30

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Towards accessible robot-assisted physical play for children with physical disabilities
Interaction Studies 25, 36 (2024); https://doi.org/10.1075/is.00023.mah
/content/journals/10.1075/is.00023.mah
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  • Article Type: Research Article
Keyword(s): accessibility; designing for children; human-robot interaction; MyJay; robot-assisted play

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