Multi-Modal Social Robot Behavioural Alignment and Learning Outcomes in Mediated Child–Robot Interactions
With the increasing application of robots in human-centred environments, there is increasing motivation for incorporating some degree of human-like social competences. Fields such as psychology and cognitive science not only provide guidance on the types of behaviour that could and should be exhibit...
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MDPI AG
2025-01-01
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| author | Paul Baxter |
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| description | With the increasing application of robots in human-centred environments, there is increasing motivation for incorporating some degree of human-like social competences. Fields such as psychology and cognitive science not only provide guidance on the types of behaviour that could and should be exhibited by the robots, they may also indicate the manner in which these behaviours can be achieved. The domain of social child–robot interaction (sCRI) provides a number of challenges and opportunities in this regard; the application to an educational context allows child-learning outcomes to be characterised as a result of robot social behaviours. One such social behaviour that is readily (and unconsciously) used by humans is behavioural alignment, in which the behaviours expressed by one person adapts to that of their interaction partner, and vice versa. In this paper, the role that robot non-verbal behavioural alignment for their interaction partner can play in the facilitation of learning outcomes for the child is examined. This behavioural alignment is facilitated by a human memory-inspired learning algorithm that adapts in real-time over the course of an interaction. A large touchscreen is employed as a mediating device between a child and a robot. Collaborative sCRI is emphasised, with the touchscreen providing a common set of interaction affordances for both child and robot. The results show that an adaptive robot is capable of engaging in behavioural alignment, and indicate that this leads to greater learning gains for the children. This study demonstrates the specific contribution that behavioural alignment makes in improving learning outcomes for children when employed by social robot interaction partners in educational contexts. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2313-7673 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
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| series | Biomimetics |
| spelling | doaj-art-a2dde60b71d64eefa99f5a1c4e80afcd2025-01-24T13:24:44ZengMDPI AGBiomimetics2313-76732025-01-011015010.3390/biomimetics10010050Multi-Modal Social Robot Behavioural Alignment and Learning Outcomes in Mediated Child–Robot InteractionsPaul Baxter0School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Lincoln Centre for Autonomous Systems, College of Health and Science, University of Lincoln, Lincoln LN6 7TS, UKWith the increasing application of robots in human-centred environments, there is increasing motivation for incorporating some degree of human-like social competences. Fields such as psychology and cognitive science not only provide guidance on the types of behaviour that could and should be exhibited by the robots, they may also indicate the manner in which these behaviours can be achieved. The domain of social child–robot interaction (sCRI) provides a number of challenges and opportunities in this regard; the application to an educational context allows child-learning outcomes to be characterised as a result of robot social behaviours. One such social behaviour that is readily (and unconsciously) used by humans is behavioural alignment, in which the behaviours expressed by one person adapts to that of their interaction partner, and vice versa. In this paper, the role that robot non-verbal behavioural alignment for their interaction partner can play in the facilitation of learning outcomes for the child is examined. This behavioural alignment is facilitated by a human memory-inspired learning algorithm that adapts in real-time over the course of an interaction. A large touchscreen is employed as a mediating device between a child and a robot. Collaborative sCRI is emphasised, with the touchscreen providing a common set of interaction affordances for both child and robot. The results show that an adaptive robot is capable of engaging in behavioural alignment, and indicate that this leads to greater learning gains for the children. This study demonstrates the specific contribution that behavioural alignment makes in improving learning outcomes for children when employed by social robot interaction partners in educational contexts.https://www.mdpi.com/2313-7673/10/1/50behavioural alignmentchild–robot interactionhuman–robot interactioninteractive activation and competitionlearning effectsSandtray |
| spellingShingle | Paul Baxter Multi-Modal Social Robot Behavioural Alignment and Learning Outcomes in Mediated Child–Robot Interactions Biomimetics behavioural alignment child–robot interaction human–robot interaction interactive activation and competition learning effects Sandtray |
| title | Multi-Modal Social Robot Behavioural Alignment and Learning Outcomes in Mediated Child–Robot Interactions |
| title_full | Multi-Modal Social Robot Behavioural Alignment and Learning Outcomes in Mediated Child–Robot Interactions |
| title_fullStr | Multi-Modal Social Robot Behavioural Alignment and Learning Outcomes in Mediated Child–Robot Interactions |
| title_full_unstemmed | Multi-Modal Social Robot Behavioural Alignment and Learning Outcomes in Mediated Child–Robot Interactions |
| title_short | Multi-Modal Social Robot Behavioural Alignment and Learning Outcomes in Mediated Child–Robot Interactions |
| title_sort | multi modal social robot behavioural alignment and learning outcomes in mediated child robot interactions |
| topic | behavioural alignment child–robot interaction human–robot interaction interactive activation and competition learning effects Sandtray |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2313-7673/10/1/50 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT paulbaxter multimodalsocialrobotbehaviouralalignmentandlearningoutcomesinmediatedchildrobotinteractions |