Isolated, solitary, unsociable - autistic children seem surrounded by a wall, making communication with the outside world almost impossible. But now, an intelligent robot doll has been developed to help them learn social skills.

People suffering from autism lack what psychologists call the "theory of mind", the ability to interpret other people's thoughts and feelings and use their insights to learn about elements of their own communication behaviour. German biologist Professor Kerstin Dautenhahn  and Israeli dance therapist and computer scientist Ben Robins have found new ways of coaxing autistic children out of their own little world by using robots. Their unique research project, called "AuRoRa", has already recorded its first successes.

Writer John Kantara visited Kerstin Dautenhahn and Ben Robbins near London and watched them at work. Observing the interaction between an autistic child and the robots, the scientists explain how they have been able to improve the child's development as a result of their co-operation.

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