Movia launches TheraPal robots for cognitive, social development

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MOVIA Robotics founer and chief scientist Tim Gifford with some of the company’s robots. | Credit: MOVIA Robotics

Movia Robotics this week launched its TheraPal line of digital health aides for autism spectrum disorder and other intellectual or developmental disabilities.

Bristol, Connecticut-based Movia Robotics released its TheraPal Progress Tracker, TheraPal Home and TheraPal Clinical assist aides for use in homes and clinician offices. The robotic aides are designed to be used by parents, therapists and other healthcare professionals for the development and learning of individuals with neurodevelopmental or intellectual challenges, according to the company.

Movia’s robot-assisted intervention is a friendly, digital tool that uses applied behavior analysis and other evidence-based methods with gamification techniques to allow children and older individuals to practice a broad range of life skills and confidence-building activities.

The fully-configurable system has modules for cognitive training, communication training, practice and educational learning. It assists the individuals in understanding and practicing basic social skills like making eye contact, building confidence, engaging in conversation and other intellectual skills like reading comprehension, basic math and auditory processing learning. The robot-assisted intervention sends data to healthcare professionals who can adjust professional therapies as needed.

“By using robots that engage and interact with kids, we are able to get kids with autism to respond more readily,” Timothy Gifford, founder of Movia Robotics, has said about the technology. “Robots seem friendlier, less judgmental than human beings; they seem safer, so the children are able to explore more, develop their confidence and have more control all while learning skills to help them be successful in their daily lives.”

Movia Robotics said that its TheraPal product line assists neuro-diverse children with an individualized treatment plan. Its TheraPal Progress Tracker is a medical device dat5a system that is used as an assist tool for homecare individuals and clinicians.

“We are focused on showing how robotics can improve the lives of individuals with autism and other special needs, and the launch of our TheraPal is the first step in our commitment to FDA digital health certification,” CEO Jean-Pierre Bolat said.

Editor’s Note: This article was republished from sister publication Medical Design & Outsourcing.