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Kinesiology Research

OSU researchers develop robot buddy to help keep toddlers active

GoBot study highlights potential for robotic technology in promoting early childhood physical activity

GoBot and child in a play room
GoBot and child in a play room

Parents seeking help in encouraging toddlers to be physically active may soon need to look no further than an inexpensive robotic buddy for their kids, a new study by Oregon State University suggests.

Movement plays a key role in children’s overall health, both in youth and later on in adulthood, says the College of Health’s Associate Professor Sam Logan, a collaborator on the study.

Observing toddler interactions with GoBot

Oregon State researchers observed individual sessions for eight kids ages 2-3 once a week for two months in a playroom that included various toys and a toddler-sized GoBot: a custom, wheeled, foam-padded robot designed through a collaboration between the OSU colleges of Engineering and Health.

Weekly sessions with each of the five boys and three girls were broken into three segments.

During one of them, the GoBot was in the room but not active, though the child was free to push and pull the robot around if he or she wanted to.

Five GoBots

In another, the GoBot’s movements – similar to keep-away maneuvers – were directed by an operator using a PlayStation DualShock4 controller, and in the third segment type, the motion was autonomous. In either scenario, the GoBot rewarded the child for getting close to it by emitting sounds, lights or bubbles.

The results showed that kids’ activity levels, measured by multiple sensors and cameras, were higher in the presence of an active robot.

“It was interesting to us that the simple autonomous routine worked as well as directly teleoperated control when it came to engaging children,” says the College of Engineering’s Naomi Fitter, who led the study. “That means a relatively low-cost robot playmate – one that offers more intelligence and independence compared to current phone-operated robotic toys – might be feasible in the near future.”

Benefits of physical activity for young children

For young children, the authors say, physical activity contributes to cognitive, social and motor development and also sets the stage for better psychosocial and cardiometabolic health later on, serving as a foundation for the potential of a lifetime of healthy habits.

“High rates of sedentary behavior are a big current challenge across many phases of life, and better physical activity at any part can lead to better health outcomes,” says Naomi, who holds the endowed title of Kearney Faculty Scholar.

The researchers also note that past studies indicate a significant number of children are below recommended physical activity guidelines, which contributes to high levels of childhood obesity and other negative health consequences.

Future applications of robotic technology in pediatric care

“Toys that motivate crawling and assist with walking are widespread,” Naomi says, “but there’s a scarcity of toys designed to motivate young children to be active and explore their environments once they are ambulatory.”

Sam says their findings suggest that children tended to be more physically active when the robot was active and moving around in the environment. “One potential impact may be the use of a robot in pediatric physical therapy sessions to motivate children with disabilities to move and play while receiving therapeutic support from a physical therapist.”

Assistive robots like GoBot, Naomi added, may be more effective than other tools for physical activity promotion because people tend to see robots as more “peer-like and influential” than non-embodied technologies like phones or computers.

“Our goal is not to replace the role of parents, care providers, and physical therapists but rather that robots can become a tool to facilitate physical activity experiences,” Sam says.

Collaborating with Sam and Naomi were Rafael Morales Mayoral and Ameer Helmi of the College of Engineering.

Findings were published in the Journal of Translational Engineering in Health & Medicine.