Teachers’ Impressions on Robots for Therapeutic Applications

We examine whether teachers in special school accept communication robots as new educational tools and what they expect by introduction of them into class activities. We asked the teachers to experience demonstrations of three different types of robots, Telenoid, Hugvie, and M3-Synchy, which are available to assist teachers in educational situations and to fill in questionnaire about their impression on the robots and possible applications. The results of the questionnaire showed that more than half of teachers recognized that the robots show positive effect on their students and are useful tools not only in group activities but also in independent activities. Surprisingly, almost all teachers considered Hugvie, which is a cushion-like communication medium, have educational effects on their students, comparing it with the other robots. We also discuss what kind of robots are required by teachers.