Poster #16 - Toward the Development of Personalized Learning Companion Robots for Early Speech and Language Assessment

• In Event: 81.034 - MTCC Poster Session 20
  In Poster Session: 81.034-3 - Virtual Worlds and Presence

Abstract

This pilot study investigated the feasibility of implementing child-friendly robots for administering clinical and educational assessments with young children. JIBO, a social robot, was used as a new interface to administer a letter and number naming task and the 3rd Goldman Fristoe Test of Articulation (GFTA-3). The reason for using these assessment materials is to develop robust automatic speech recognition (ASR) systems that can aid in administering assessments more efficiently. The voice of JIBO simulates interaction with a peer, and images and playful transitions are displayed on JIBO's face/screen. Several preliminary observations with 15 pre-kindergarten and 18 kindergarten students included the rate of task completion and strategies to increase student participation. Recommendations are given to inform future implementations and analyses.

Authors

• Gary Joseph Yeung, University of California - Los Angeles

• Alison L. Bailey, University of California - Los Angeles

• Amber Afshan, University of California - Los Angeles

• Marlen Quintero Pérez, University of California - Los Angeles

• Alejandra Martin, University of California - Los Angeles

• Samuel Spaulding, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

• Hae Won Park, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

• Abeer Alwan, University of California - Los Angeles

• Cynthia Lynn Breazeal, Massachusetts Institute of Technology