Design of robots used as education companion and tutor

Abstract

Robot has a special appeal in education as it can enhance interaction between content-user like students, content-producer like teachers, and the actual material content. Deciding on the form of the robot to use in exploring, testing and implementing educational ideas can be challenging for researchers and educators since form and function could affect user-interaction and determine implementation success. This paper presents a review of published works on robots used in education. Robot design is analyzed with special focus on form, actuation and mobility, interaction capability, and sensing. Robots are grouped into three categories based on the forms they take: humanoid, semi-humanoid, and pet-like.