A Framework for Assistive Social Robots for Detecting Aggression in Children

Abstract

Children during their early years might exhibit different forms of aggression against others. Aggression can be physical or relational. Physical aggression can take on different forms such as hitting, pushing, and kicking. The integration of technology, such as social robots, can be used to address aggression among children during childhood. In this study, we present a framework consisting of using sensory modules to detect undesirable physical interactions and social robots to provide a feedback once a behavior is detected. The framework has been demonstrated using a commercially-available social robot (i.e., Professor Einstein) with Raspberry Pi as the sensory module. Experiments with the social robot showed a promising performance of this integration. The outcomes can be used to teach children how to interact with others in an acceptable manner. The proposed framework can be integrated by social roboticists into their designs to create more dynamic interactions targeting aggressive and unwanted interactions.