Pediatric social robotics in ASD: navigating AI blind-spots toward clinical validation
Sahaj Grewal, Raymond Roy, Kiranpreet Sidhu, Kejah Bascon, Feeda Elahresh, Fateh Ahmad, Logendra Naidoo, Amedeo D’Angiulli · 2026
Read Pediatric social robotics in ASD: navigating AI blind-spots toward clinical validation by Sahaj Grewal, Raymond Roy, Kiranpreet Sidhu, Kejah Bascon, Feeda Elahresh, Fateh Ahmad, Logendra Naidoo, Amedeo D’Angiulli (2026) in the Tower of Babel, a free online library of public-domain works preserved in clean, searchable text. No sign-up. The full text is served as a plain-text file at a predictable URL, where text is present: https://antarctic-labs.com/tower-of-babel/PMC13623786.txt.
Description
Sahaj Grewal leads a mini-review of social robots used with children who have autism spectrum disorder. Friendly robots can coach social and communication skills, and short studies show gains. The authors warn that three fast-moving add-ons are racing ahead of safety proof: robots paired with wearable sensors, robots inside virtual reality, and robots that chat using generative artificial intelligence.
Each add-on carries child-specific risks. Sensors worn on the body may distress children with sensory sensitivities, immersive scenes can overload attention, and constant data collection raises privacy worries. Free-running AI conversation could reinforce unhelpful communication habits. The research base is still small pilots with little follow-up. The authors propose a five-part validation roadmap covering child calibration standards, shared development measures, large multisite trials, long-term monitoring, and human-backed safety design. Their verdict: promising, but not ready as a main therapy.
Catalog record
| CREATOR | Sahaj Grewal, Raymond Roy, Kiranpreet Sidhu, Kejah Bascon, Feeda Elahresh, Fateh Ahmad, Logendra Naidoo, Amedeo D’Angiulli |
|---|---|
| YEAR | 2026 |
| COLLECTION | PAPERS |
| FORMAT | TXT |
| FILE SIZE | 29 KB |
| LICENSE | https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 |
| RIGHTS | CC BY |
| SOURCE | Europe PMC |