Amirkabir University of Technology Amirkabir Journal of Mechanical Engineering 2008-6032 52 8 2019 05 05 Impacts of Social Robots in Education and Rehabilitation of Children with Autism in Iran Impacts of Social Robots in Education and Rehabilitation of Children with Autism in Iran 2329 2354 3399 10.22060/mej.2019.15434.6121 FA Alireza Taheri Mechanical Engineering Department, Sharif University of Technology Ali Meghdari Mechanical Engineering Department, Sharif University of Technology Minoo Alemi Department of Humanities, Islamic Azad University-West Tehran Branch Hamidreza Pouretemad Institute for Cognitive and Brain Sciences (ICBS), Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran Journal Article 2018 12 11  In this study, our objective (as one of the pioneers in Iran) is to explore the clinical application of interactive humanoid robots as medical assistants in the treatment and education of children with autism in order to improve their social and cognitive skills. To reach this goal, we have designed and implemented a set of therapeutic games with the following topics: a) Investigation of social robots’ acceptability and effect on improving the fine/gross movement imitation of Iranian children with autism, b) Exploring the effect of a robot-assisted music-education program on children with autism spectrum disorders’ socio-cognitive skills improvement (as an individual clinical intervention program), and c) The impact of humanoid robots on improving the social and cognitive skills of high-functioning autistic children (as a group clinical intervention program). The results indicated that our robots were accepted by 70 percent of the participants as a communication tool from the first interaction. We also observed improvement in joint attention and fine movement imitation skills of both the high-functioning and low-functioning subjects. It was concluded that the high-functioning children’s social skills improved due to the robot-assisted group therapy sessions, while the stereotyped behaviors of the low-functioning subjects decreased during the course of this program.  In this study, our objective (as one of the pioneers in Iran) is to explore the clinical application of interactive humanoid robots as medical assistants in the treatment and education of children with autism in order to improve their social and cognitive skills. To reach this goal, we have designed and implemented a set of therapeutic games with the following topics: a) Investigation of social robots’ acceptability and effect on improving the fine/gross movement imitation of Iranian children with autism, b) Exploring the effect of a robot-assisted music-education program on children with autism spectrum disorders’ socio-cognitive skills improvement (as an individual clinical intervention program), and c) The impact of humanoid robots on improving the social and cognitive skills of high-functioning autistic children (as a group clinical intervention program). The results indicated that our robots were accepted by 70 percent of the participants as a communication tool from the first interaction. We also observed improvement in joint attention and fine movement imitation skills of both the high-functioning and low-functioning subjects. It was concluded that the high-functioning children’s social skills improved due to the robot-assisted group therapy sessions, while the stereotyped behaviors of the low-functioning subjects decreased during the course of this program. https://mej.aut.ac.ir/article_3399_57f04bb2975420e3b4c73920c687cad7.pdf