Design of a robotic mobility system to promote socialization in children.

Self-initiated mobility is a causal factor in children's development. Previous studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of our training methods in learning directional driving and navigation. The ultimate goal of mobility training is to enable children to be social, that is, to interact with peers. A powered mobility device was developed that can localize itself, map the environment, plan an obstacle-free path to a goal, and ensure safety of a human driver. Combined with a positioning system, this system is able to apply a force field to train subjects to drive towards an object, a caregiver, a peer, or a group of peers. System feasibility was tested by designing a 'ball chasing' game. Results show that the system is promising in promoting socialization in children.