Interbots’ consumer robot for autism therapy took the top prize last Thursday at the nation’s first-ever next-generation robotics venture competition. The event, called RoboBowl Pittsburgh (it was held at Carnegie Mellon University), was co-sponsored by the Robotics Technology Consortium and Innovation Accelerator, and sought “to find and foster startup and early-stage companies seeking to develop products and services that address unmet and underserved market needs” in the healthcare sector.

Interbots — selected out of five finalists by a panel of judges that included leading roboticists and healthcare professionals from around the country — will receive $20,000 for its top finish.

According to the official entry description, Interbots has leveraged recent research findings to create an affordable consumer robot that guides children through activities designed to help treat autism:

The CDC currently estimates that 1% of children in the United States will be diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Children with ASD often struggle with critical social referencing skills such as focusing on faces, recognizing emotions, and responding to directions. Recent research has shown that children with ASD have an easier time interacting with robots than people. Interbots has leveraged these findings to create an affordable consumer robot and accompanying iPad/PC software that allows therapists and parents to guide children (ages 3-15) through activities that practice social referencing skills. Our goal is to become the leader in Autism robotics, providing parents and therapists with software, robotic tools, and curricula to support the social, emotional, and cognitive development of children with ASD.

Learn more about the other finalists here — and visit the RoboBowl website for complete details.

(Contributed by Erwin Gianchandani, CCC Director)