The Conversational Agent “Emoty” Perceived by People with Neurodevelopmental Disorders: Is It a Human or a Machine?

This research explores the anthropomorphic perception of Emoty by its target user. Emoty is a Conversational Agent specifically designed as an emotional facilitator and trainer for individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD). NDD is a group of conditions that are characterized by severe deficits in the cognitive, emotional, and motor areas and produce severe impairments in communication and social functioning. Our application promotes skills of emotion expression and recognition and was developed in cooperation with psychologists and therapists as a supporting tool for regular interventions.