From learning machines to teaching robots. Interaction for educational purposes between the Social Robot NAO and children: a systematic review

Abstract

Interaction between social robots and children occurs today in a variety of environments, including schools, hospitals, and homes. This review aims to highlight studies that delve into this interaction in the educational settings, exploring the characteristics of the social robot NAO and how its features influence its relationship with children. A search was conducted on July 1st, 2023 in Scopus and PsychInfo. Inclusion criteria pertained to (1) typical development; (2) age range 4-12 years; (3) educational setting; (4) type of robot (NAO); (5) type of publication: peer-reviewed journal; (6) language: English; (7) research studies. Of the 116 results that emerged from the search, 92 were excluded, yielding 24 valid results. We classified the records into two categories, namely 17 results were included in the “NAO as an informational and educational tool” category and 7 in the “NAO as a relational agent” category. The first category considers all studies where social robots were used as tools for educational and informational support; these studies delve into topics related to the teaching of school subjects and personalized learning, with a specific focus on emotional education. In the second category, we encounter studies that explore the relationships between children and robots, with a primary emphasis on the phenomenon of anthropomorphism, the attribution of mental states, touch interaction, and the robot's caregiving abilities. Based on the present review, social robots like NAO emerge as potential resources to implement new forms of teaching and interaction within the educational context; however, more research is needed to design...

Keywords

• NAO
• Children
• Interaction
• Learning
• Educational Robotics