Profiling robot-mediated play for children with disabilities through ICF-CY: The example of the European project IROMEC

This paper, from the description of the research activities of the ongoing European project IROMEC, discusses the potential role of the brand new version Children and Youth of ICF (International Classification of Functioning and Disability) as an useful resource in the design development and outcomes evaluation of robotic toys used as play mediators in educational and therapy settings with children with physical and/or cognitive impairments. ICF-CY has been used as a methodological framework in users’ needs assessment, in building appropriate task analysis of play activities, in robot requirements definition and in outcomes analysis will be examined. Further and deeper researches are needed to better understand strengths and weaknesses of such an approach.