Social robots are increasingly used to support people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), particularly in therapy and social skills training. Educational contexts, especially higher education, receive far less attention, despite presenting distinct challenges.
University learning environments are shaped by tight schedules, implicit authority structures, and assessment pressure, all of which influence how support technologies are experienced. For students with autism, factors such as autonomy, predictability, and perceived control are closely linked to well-being and learning outcomes, meaning that even minor design decisions can have significant impact.
From screen to physical presence
This project builds on Sue, a digital self-reflection tool co-created with students with autism through the European CommuniCity project. Sue was developed in close collaboration with the Autism Community at HKU University of the Arts Utrecht and makes deliberate design choices to support self-reflection without adopting an instructive or authoritative tone. Moving from a screen-based tool to robot-supported interaction introduces new variables: physical presence, voice, movement, and perceived initiative can all change how an interaction feels and may increase the risk of a system being experienced as monitoring or judging.
Research approach
Rather than building or testing a specific robot, the project investigates how students with autism experience and describe different interaction qualities. The aim is to develop co-created design patterns, recurring interaction features and principles that are not tied to a single technical form. This makes them well suited for early-stage, exploratory research. Ethics and regulation are treated not as procedural requirements but as guiding boundaries throughout the project.
Intended outcomes
As a seed-funding project, the emphasis is on knowledge development rather than implementation. The outcome will be a set of interaction patterns and principles grounded in students’ perspectives. These can inform designers, educators, and researchers working in educational technology, robotics, and inclusive design, and contribute to more careful and responsible innovation in higher education.
Projectleden
-
Lamia Elloumi
Lecturer & Researcher
Lamia Elloumi is a researcher and lecturer in the Master Applied AI programme at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences. Her work focuses on inclusive AI, human-centred design and the role of emerging technologies in education. She leads participatory research projects exploring how technologies such as AI systems and social robots can support autonomy, reflection and well-being. In collaboration with autistic students and community partners, she investigates how interaction design shapes trust, control and user experience in educational contexts.
-
Robbin Jansen
Designer & Co-founder of Future Ready Design
Robbin Jansen is a designer and co-founder of Future Ready Design. He specialises in human-centred design, design facilitation and prototyping for emerging technologies. His work helps organisations translate complex technological developments into meaningful experiences and practical design solutions. Robbin has extensive experience facilitating co-creation processes and developing exploratory prototypes that support discussion, learning and innovation. His approach combines creativity, accessibility and a strong focus on user needs.
-
Paulien Kreutzer
Design Researcher @Stby @OneTwentyone
Paulien Kreutzer is a researcher and service designer at Stby. She specialises in participatory research and collaborative design approaches that bring lived experiences into innovation processes. Her work focuses on understanding how people experience technologies and services in everyday life, and translating those insights into actionable design directions. Paulien has worked extensively with diverse and neurodiverse communities, supporting projects that connect research, design and social impact through meaningful stakeholder involvement.
Wil je meer informatie, heb je vragen of wil je met ons samenwerken?
Neem contact op met Margreet van communicatie.
