People with intellectual disability help shape how Pepper is used

Queensland University of Technology, the Endeavour Foundation and Università della Svizzera italiana reported on work in which Chloe Haidenhofer, who has an intellectual disability, acted as a co-researcher documenting her own and her peers' experiences with the Pepper humanoid. Participants said the robot helped some friends become more confident and sociable, partly because it let them express themselves through its tablet without relying on others. A related museum study found social robots improved engagement and satisfaction for visitors with intellectual disability. The work is a reminder that co-design with the intended users can change what social robots are for.

Source: Tech Xplore (QUT)