Children want robots to help them learn and be their friends

What wonderous and fantastic tasks will robots of the future be able to do? If school children get their way, robots will be smart and social — in other words, friends.

A study conducted by Latitude Research in coordination with the LEGO Learning Institute asked 348 students from four different continents the same question: "What would happen if robots were a part of your every day life?" Responses were varied, but most wanted robots to do two things: help them with their schoolwork, and be their friend. A full 64% wanted their robot to be human-like; 33% wanted their robot to be popular at school. An equal number focused on play that did learning.

The researchers have created a Flickr photostream so you can look through the childrens' submissions and see exactly what they want robots to be. One student from South Africa wrote about his robot RJ, "a cool dude robot" who "fixes my spelling, and tells me when my sentence is wrong." Another girl from the United States said her robot would be "friendly and funny and she fits in with all of us." 

The results of the study may prove useful to those who develop kids' software to understand the type of interactions that they wish to have with technology. "They are far more interested in what they can do with the technology than in what technology can do for them," the study's report explains. The report goes on to further suggest that companies "develop platforms that allow kids to learn more actively through hands-on creation and real-world problem-solving."

[Image source: South Park Studios] 

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