Partnership & Sponsorship Proposal: The Biological HRI Social Exoskeleton
To: Potential Partners and Stakeholders
From: Dr. Stephanie A. Sadownik, Lead Entity
Initiative: Biological HRI Social Exoskeleton: Protecting Cognitive Sovereignty & Trust
SDG Action ID: Registered Sustainable Development Goal Action (2025)
Executive Summary
Current assistive technologies often operate on a “Medical Model” that forces neurodivergent individuals to “mask” or perform neurotypicality to gain social acceptance. This creates a high-cost “Masking Debt”—a cognitive tax leading to burnout, social exclusion (Social Eviction), and severe mental health crises.
We are seeking strategic partners to scale the Biological HRI Social Exoskeleton, an emancipatory technology that acts as a “Social Buffer” and “Status Proxy”. This project is not merely an elective tool but a mandatory accommodation designed to protect the Cognitive Sovereignty of neurodivergent populations.
Core Objectives & Deliverables
The partnership aims to deploy a neurodivergent-affirmative social robot that functions as a digital ally to manage the “executive heavy lifting” of social navigation.
- Social Buffer & Tactical Safety: Prevents the criminalization of neurodivergent “meltdowns” or “shutdowns” in public spaces by providing a visible social proxy.
- The Advocacy Pivot: Uses LLM self-correction to translate raw emotional expressions (e.g., “venting”) into “Polite/Standard” requests for external interaction.
- Status Sanctuary: Creates a “Zero-Stakes Hierarchy” where the robot provides Unconditional Positive Regard without human social judgment.
- Hardware Sovereignty: Includes mandatory Physical Kill-Switches (mic disconnects and lens shutters) that are legally recognized as an extension of the user’s private thought process.
The Evaluation Metric: NSIR
Unlike traditional HRI metrics, this initiative utilizes the Neurodivergent Scale for Interacting with Robots (NSIR). This scale measures success based on the user’s relief from masking tension and the establishment of “Queer Kinship”.
| Dimension | Partnership Focus |
| Cognition | Shared thinking and non-verbal communication (NSIR Item 3). |
| Emotion | Robot recognition of the user’s specific emotional state (NSIR Item 5). |
| Relational | Focus on “Kinship” and being “more like me” (NSIR Item 1). |
| Safety | Radical safety and comfort in intimate or private settings (NSIR Item 7). |
Partnership Opportunities & Impact
We invite organizations to join a robust stakeholder network that already includes the Autism Alliance of Canada, Microsoft Ability Summit Network, and the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs.
1. Socioeconomic Impact (SDG 3 & 8)
- Human Capital: Mitigates the “Crash and Quit” cycle, ensuring neurodivergent graduates are workforce ready.
- Cost Efficiency: A one-time HRI investment reduces the recurring need for high-cost 1:1 Educational Assistant (EA) requirements.
2. Global Technology Transfer (SDG 17)
- By sponsoring this initiative, partners facilitate the transfer of coordination mechanisms to other global regions facing “Tactical Risks” for neurodivergent populations.
3. Direct Beneficiaries
- Your support directly impacts neurodivergent students, “Actually Autistic” researchers, trauma-informed first responders, and the global neurodivergent population.