Emotional Intelligence and Educational Robotics: The Development of the EI-EDUROBOT

Abstract

In recent years, ICT has become a fundamental element of almost all aspects of formal and non-formal education. Educational Robotics (ER) as an ICT subfield has triggered many studies of ER educational utilization. Furthermore, there is also a growing interest in studies in Special Education with ER and ICT in general, usually focusing on emotional intelligence, especially in social skills’ development and empathy training. This paper presents the development of a Robotic Platform, the EI-EDUROBOT, which aims to cultivate empathy and social skills of typically developed children, aged 4 to 9 years, but also children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), among these two social groups.