This describes a treatment method for autism/ASD intended to encourage greater eye contact by affected children. The treatment method incorporates an artificial demonstration of the phenomenon of eye contact, and that method is described herein along with the principles of action of the treatment and the necessary procedure to perform it. Also described are two embodiments of the physical portion of the invention that can be used for the demonstration: first, an item in the form of a cuboid with animatronic eyes affixed to one side that most purely reflects the principles behind the treatment, and second, another in the form of a stuffed toy that is perhaps more practical.

A method and apparatus according to which a patient simulator includes one or more of the following: a left eye assembly including a simulated left pupil, a simulated left eyelid, and/or a simulated left iris; a right eye assembly including a simulated right pupil, a simulated right eyelid, and/or a simulated right iris; a neck assembly including a simulated neck; a left brow assembly including a simulated left brow; a right brow assembly including a simulated right brow; a tear duct assembly including simulated left and right cheeks through which artificial pores are formed; and a mouth assembly including a simulated mouth. In various embodiments, any one, or a combination, of these assemblies may be, include, or be part of, a manikin in the form of a human face, and may therefore be activated simultaneously to realistically simulate life-like human facial features/expressions.

An illuminated display device with a base member representing an eye and having a primary cavity therein, usually existing as a pair of devices to represent two eyes. Thin walls within the primary cavity divide it into multiple chambers, wherein each chamber has a unique shape and volume that represents a view of a unique emotive response in an eye. Illumination devices are placed in each unique thin-walled chamber shape to emit light in a pattern from the chamber volume through a top opening of the cavity. Lighting all illumination devices equally imitates an open eye, while illuminating the volume of one or more unique chamber shapes at OFF or lesser brightness than the volume in other chambers creates a negative space, giving the illusion that the eye has changed shape to equal the shape in the brightly lit chambers only. The device can thus imitate the changing shapes in an eye shown when expressing emotion and the device is capable of exhibiting eight or more distinct emotive responses. A speaker can emit sounds in synchronization with a pattern of illumination to enhance the emotive effect. The unique chamber shapes and volumes in the primary cavity can be covered by translucent material that may be printed with a graphic representation of an eye.

An action control device that controls the actions of a robot acquires an external stimulus; and in a case of executing an action corresponding to the external stimulus, controls so as to execute, based on an intimacy between a subject applying the external stimulus and the robot, different action content.

A communication device includes a display provided in a face portion; an environment information acquisition unit that acquires environment information being information about an environment around the communication device; a gaze motion generation unit that generates a gaze motion of the communication device to be expressed in the face portion, the gaze motion corresponding to the environment information acquired by the environment information acquisition unit; a feeling generation unit that generates, according to a predetermined generation rule, a feeling of the communication device to be expressed in the face portion; and an integration unit that displays on the display an image of an eye expressing the gaze motion generated by the gaze motion generation unit and the feeling generated by the feeling generation unit.

An apparatus includes a movement mechanism, a sensor, a microphone, a speaker, a processor and a memory. The processor selects a target region, controls the movement mechanism to cause the apparatus to move to the target region, and causes a speaker to output a first sound. When counting a predetermined number, the processor causes the sensor to trace a movement locus of a user. In a case where the processor has determined that an acquired sound contains a predetermined speech, the processor controls the movement mechanism to cause the apparatus to move through a predetermined space. When the processor has determined that the apparatus is not to intentionally lose in a game of hide-and-seek, the processor controls the movement mechanism to cause the apparatus to move to a target blind spot within the predetermined space, and causes the speaker to output a second sound.

An animatronic doll is disclosed. The doll, includes multiple sensors, one or more of which receives input which causes the doll to perform various functions such as moving, vibrating, playing music, eating, interacting with a mobile app or interacting with another doll. The doll also includes various modes which may be effected or selected based on input from one or more sensors. One of the sensors may include an rfid reader which reads cards that instruct the doll to emulate a particula emotion.

An animatronic doll is disclosed. The doll, includes multiple motors, one or more of which controls conjoined movements of various parts of the doll and one or more of which controls individual parts of the doll. The doll may include a speaker for causing the duck to vibrate and/or it may include various sensors for user and environmental interaction.

Smart Entertainment Technology uses technology to create an enhanced, real-world experience or adventure, and helps users explore, communicate, learn, and solve puzzles, creating a richer, more immersive experience. In one embodiment, a method includes identifying a plurality of patrons in an entertainment attraction using a contactless sensor. The entertainment attraction comprises a room, and each wall of the room comprises modular, interconnected, adaptable full-wall digital displays. The method further includes determining a digital attraction experience suitable for each of the patrons based on the age and attraction preferences of each of the patrons. The method additionally includes formatting for display on the modular full-wall digital displays content associated with the determined digital attraction experience. The method further includes determining an interactive gesture performed by one of the patrons, and formatting for display on the full-wall digital displays, appropriate content responsive to the interactive gesture.

A proximity induced messaging device for greeting a person arriving at an entrance of a structure includes a housing that defines an interior space. The housing is configured to couple to a structure proximate to the entrance of the structure. A power module is coupled to the housing and is positioned in the interior space. A sensor and a communication module are coupled to the housing and are operationally coupled to the power module. The communication module is operationally coupled to the sensor. The sensor is configured to detect a person entering an area proximate to the housing and to signal the communication module. The communication module is positioned to broadcast a greeting.