IDEA #74NOTH ASPIRE(Activity Solution for Problem-solving in Infants Robotic Environment)

Direct, physical exploration of the environment during infancy has cascading effects for development. Early interaction with objects impacts later cognitive, language, and social development. Infants with motor delays lack the typical experience of interacting with the world which puts them at an academic and social disadvantage. However, early intervention can change the developmental timeline and trajectory and minimize negative outcomes.Originally built to replace face-to-face data collection during the coronavirus shut down, ASPIRE(Activity Solution for Problem-solving in Infants Robotic Environment) is an automatized, portable, self-contained, programmable pediatric motor activity center. Infants sit in front of the ASPIRE reaching board housed in a portable case. Toys appear out of the front-facing reaching board at eye-level to grab infants’ attention. The internal mechanism can be programmed to offer toys to different locations and for different durations. This combination of features encourages infants with limited motor ability to sit, reach, grasp, and explore. The combination and scaling-up of these early skills scaffolds infants’ problem-solving abilities, leading to overall developmental gains.