Automatic Mobile Robot For Facilitating Activities To Improve Child Development

An automatic mobile robot for facilitating activities to improve both neurotypical and autistic children's intellectual and emotional development is disclosed. The mobile robot has a non-humanoid toy shape but includes an expressive face perceived as friendly and approachable by autistic children. The mobile robot is durable and safe for children. It includes auto-play, game, and occupational therapy modes, each of which may be used by a one or more child users at a time. Games and therapeutic activities may be customized to suit each child user's developmental level. The mobile robot includes multiple sensors and components configured to process and express emotion in response to data received from the sensing units and the patterns of child users' interactions with the robot. The robot is programmed to show only limited amounts of negative behavior or emotions to children so that the children do not become afraid and decide not to interact with the robot.