Support from digital technologies and social robotics to subjects with special educative needs

Manuel Graña is a Full Professor in Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence at the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU). He is the actual coordinator of the CybSPEED european project funded by the H2020 MSCA-RISE call of the European Community with grant number 777720. This project is devoted to the research on the application of innovative cyberphysical systems to the pedagogical rehabilitation of children with special needs. His research interests include signal processing, computer vision, and machine learning for diverse applications. He has collaborated with researchers from a wide diversity of backgrounds, witha focus on applications of artificial intelligence in the neurosciences. He has advised more than 35 PhD students, and he is coauthor of over two hundred papers in high impact journals.

Violina Vassileva - Aleksandrova is an actress, art therapist, theatrical pedagogue, part-time lecturer at Sofia University, expert and facilitator in many social projects. In 1990, she graduated from the National academy of theatre and film arts with “Puppet theater”. In 2005, she graduated her Master's degree at NBU with thesis on "The Role of Forum Theatre for managing anger in adolescence". She is currently a PhD student in "Special Pedagogy" at Sofia University "Kliment Ohridski". The topic of her thesis is "Prevention of violence at school through puppet therapy". Violina Vasileva is one of the founders of Theatre Tsvete Association in 1993, and since 2013 she is a Chairwoman of the Management Board of the Association. She has participated in more than 100 projects for non-formal civic education of adolescents and socialization of minority groups. She is experienced in working with disadvantaged children and young people without parents; minority groups; victims of violence.

Dr Lyuba Alboul is a mathematician with a strong fundamental training in Pure and Applied Mathematics and a broad research experience in Computer Science, Engineering and AI. Lyuba's research involves the interplay of discrete and continuous representation of reality, perception and interaction with real and virtual worlds, by both humans and machines. Lyuba has been involved in a number of research projects as a primary investigator. In 2007-2010, she has been co-investigator of the EU funded projects, GUARDIANS and View-Finder, where she has conducted research on 3D representation of reality by fusing several sensor modalities. She has been also an active participant in 'Engineering for Life', EPSRC funded project, where she focused on development 'human-centred' vision and measurement technologies for people with special needs, in particular on the autism spectrum.

Researcher at IRTIC University of Valencia. Author of different scientific publications in the field of autism. Editor of technical publications of Autismo Ávila and La Estrella Azul. Coordinator of different EU projects such as STAY-IN, AMUSE or SMAR-ASD. Director of different technological development projects for people with ASD, including Pictogram Room, Azahar (apps for communication and leisure), Supportive Eyes (training and tools on person-centred planning), A picture is worth a thousand words (DVD for skill training in supported-employment) or Speaking with Art (apps for gaining access to arts). Member of AETAPI (Spanish society for autism professionals). Brother of a woman with ASD, he is part of the Board of Autismo Avila and Autismo Castilla y León, also member of the patronage of Mira’m Foundation and Adapta Foundation.

Dr. Anna Lekova is currently Professor, Head of "Interactive Robotics and Control Systems" Department, Institute of Robotics (IR), Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS), Sofia, Bulgaria. As the academic record, she was awarded PhD in 1995 in the field of Computing from Technical University - Sofia, Visiting Assistant Professor, Faculty of Computing, Technical University in 1990-1992, and Erasmus teacher in "Intelligent Wireless mobile networks” in the University of Portsmouth, UK, 2008-2013. She continued in Intelligent Interactions in Socially-assistive Robotics and contributed and organized more than 11 EU and national projects. She managed the very successful EEA Grand Project EU BG09 (2015-2016) “Methodologies and technologies for enhancing the motor and social skills of children with developmental problems”. In CybSPEED Project she studies how to translate the talent of actors and scenarists from art (puppe) therapy to robots by using modern technologies.

Nekane Lekuona es asistente social en la asociación Aspanogi, Es una asociación sin ánimo de lucro fundada en 1996 cuya acción social comenzó en 1998 gracias a la iniciativa de 4 familias afectadas. La misión principal consiste en mejorar la calidad de vida del niño afectado de cáncer y de su familia y atender sus necesidades desde el momento en que se diagnostica la enfermedad. Gracias al esfuerzo de las familias, los profesionales, los voluntarios y las entidades colaboradoras, ASPANOGI ha conseguido mejoras significativas en la atención de los niños con cáncer. El apoyo psico-social que proporcionan la Trabajadora Social y la psicóloga de ASPANOGI, se desarrolla en el ámbito hospitalario y extra-hospitalario. Desde el 2007, se dispone de un despacho en el Hospital Donostia (4ºplanta azul del Materno Infantil), cedido por la dirección de dicho centro hospitalario.

Maria Merino Martinez is a PhD in Sciences of Eduation. Garduated in Psichology from Universidad de Salamanca, and Psichopedagogy from UNED. She is the head of the program for integral Psichosocial Support for People with Austim Spectrum Disorders (APITEA) since 2006 in the Autismo Burgos association. She is lecturer in the Expert in Autism and Information technologies degree of the Universidad de Burgos. She is coordinator of the AETAPI interest group on woman and ASD. She is member of the research group BB on the use of ICT technologies for early detection of ASD of the Miradas Foundation. She is also member of the UBUINGENIO (FECYT) group on teh development of scientific and technologic talent in people with high capacities and ASD. Since 2013 she participates in the program First Lego League as coach of the group ASTI linked to the Autismo Burgos association. She has been research member of many i+D+i projects related to ASD.

Dorella Scarponi es graduada en Medicina y CIrugia, con una especializacion en Psicología Clínica. DOctorada en 2006 por la Universidad de Bologna con la tesis "Oncologia e Psicologia. Protocolli psicodiagnostici e psicoterapeutici nella pratica clinica". Sus intereses de investigación son: la infancia y la adolesciencia (psicologia y psicoterapia), genitorialidad (las fases criticas de la vida), los hermanos, el dolor mental, la separación y el luto. Posicion actual: RESPONSABILE DELL'INCARICO PROFESSIONALE DI ALTA SPECIALIZZAZIONE PSICOLOGIA E PSICOTERAPIA DEI PAZIENTI IN ETA' EVOLUTIVA AD ALTA COMPLESSITA' ASSISTENZIALE en el Policlinico S. Orsola-Malpighi, Bolonia.