Help-Giving Robot Behaviors in Child-Robot Games: Exploring Semantic Free Utterances

Abstract

We present initial findings from an experiment where we used Semantic Free Utterances — vocalizations and sounds without semantic content — as an alternative to Natural Language in a child-robot collaborative game. We tested (i) if two types of Semantic Free Utterances could be accurately recognized by the children; (ii) what effect the type of Semantic Free Utterances had as part of help-giving behaviors with in situ child-robot interaction. We discuss the potential benefits and pitfalls of Semantic Free Utterances for child-robot interaction.