Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

Rianne van den Berghe is a pioneering researcher in robot-assisted language learning (RALL), whose work has fundamentally shaped our understanding of how social robots can support children's language acquisition. Based at the intersection of educational technology, linguistics, and human-robot interaction, her research investigates how robots function as effective tutors, peers, and dialogue partners in both first- and second-language contexts. Her most influential contribution, a 2018 comprehensive review of social robots in language learning (356 citations), established a critical foundation for the rapidly expanding RALL field. Building on this, her large-scale experimental study (2019, 137 citations) demonstrated concretely that robots can successfully teach young children English vocabulary across multiple sessions, lending empirical weight to what had previously been largely theoretical promise. Her work extends beyond vocabulary acquisition to explore nuanced questions: how children interpret robot non-verbal cues, the value of robot peers compared to human peers, and the role robots can play in translanguaging pedagogies that honor children's full linguistic repertoires. What distinguishes van den Berghe's scholarship is its consistent attention to real-world inclusivity — notably her recent work on multilingual children and native-language storytelling robots. Her cumulative body of research, exceeding 600 citations, makes her an essential voice for educators and researchers designing equitable, technology-enhanced language learning environments.