Since 2017, NAO has been used in a special kindergarten class in Quetigny, France, to help children with ASD aged 3 to 5 better communicate. The aim is to check how beneficial the presence of humanoid robots like NAO has beneficial effects in classes with autism spectrum disorders.

In class, NAO comes twice a week for the morning ritual. This is the moment when the children are reunited: the robot comes to say hello, gives the date and the time and sings to imitate the gestures. NAO then helps to evaluate instructions, words and colors. For the teacher, progress is visible.

NAO has a positive effect on student behaviour, because since its arrival “the robot has been able to capture the attention”, explains Pauline Audry, a class professor.

The main observed aspects of NAO are the neutrality of its face, its humanoid shape and its size. ‘Children with violent behaviour are more relaxed thanks to NAO,’ explains Pascal Bourgoin, head of the Naotism project at the Rectorate of Dijon. “NAO is becoming a source of motivation and enrichment”.