Table 1.

Categories for clinical applications of interactive robots.

Category	Description	Examples of Potential Applications
Responses to robots or robot-like characteristics	Compares type, speed, and/or frequency of interactive responses to a robot or an interlocutor with robot-like characteristics in comparison to a human or non-robotic toy.	Studies do not have direct clinical applications, but provide insight on how children with ASD might respond differently to robots or robot-like characteristics
Eliciting behavior	Robot performs an action or interacts with the child for the purpose of inducing a target behavior	To obtain characteristic behaviors as part of a diagnostic evaluation; To promote prosocial behaviors (e.g., joint attention) with an interactive human partner
Modeling, teaching, or practicing skills	Robot serves as a tool for learning an practicing a target behavior or skill	Robot models a behavior for the child to imitate; Robot engages in scripted interaction with the child to practice a skill (e.g., initiating a conversation)
Providing feedback or encouragement	Robot is the purveyor of behavioral contingencies or social support during an activity	Robot gives positive reinforcement when child correctly executes a target skill; Robot provides encouragement and necessary prompts to encourage communication with another interactive partner