“RAVE” Robot-Avatar Artificial Intelligence experimentally modified robot “Maki”(far right), and the experimentally modified “Mio Amico Robot” (center; Collaborator: Professor Arcangelo Merla's Neuroscience Laboratory located in the Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Science at the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia). The goal of these robots and avatars (not shown) is to break the cognitive, social-emotional, and language learning barriers that all young children face who have been deprived of early exposure to a natural language—a developmental impediment known as “Language Deprivation”. This is especially true of young deaf babies who are not exposed to signed languages early in life. Ultimately, our research has shown that all 3 bilingual language exposure, especially early exposure to a signed and spoken language, yield extraordinary cognitive, social-emotional, and language advantages in young children. For more information click here.