The latest Talking Robots episode interviews Kerstin Dautenhahn from the University of Hertfordshire in the UK. Dautenhahn uses robots in therapy sessions with autistic patients. Autism spectrum disorders are fairly common, with almost 1 in 100 people affected. Symptoms include impaired social interaction and communication as well as restricted and repetitive behavior, all starting before the age of three. According to Dautenhahn, who has extensively studied interactions between robots and autistic children, a main advantage of robot assisted therapy is that it facilitates interaction. Unlike computers, which limit interactions to inputs by keyboard or mouse, robots allow for a multitude of interactions via behaviors including touch, approach and avoidance behaviors. Tune in if you want to learn more about autism, robot assisted therapy and how it can help children learn essential social skills like turn taking, joint attention and imitation.