The DE-ENIGMA project is developing artificial intelligence for a commercial robot (Robokind’s Zeno). The robot will be used for an emotion-recognition and emotion-expression teaching programme to school-aged autistic children. This approach combines the most common interests of children of school age: technology, cartoon characters (that Zeno resembles) and socializing with peers.
During the project, Zeno will go through several design phases, getting ‘smarter’ every time. It will be able to process children’s motions, vocalizations, and facial expressions in order to adaptively and autonomously present emotion activities, and engage in feedback, support, and play.
The project, that will run from February 2016 until August 2019, is funded by Horizon 2020 (the European Union’s Framework Programme for Research and Innovation).