Object Recognition-Based Second Language Learning Educational Robot System for Chinese Preschool Children

Research in psychology, pedagogy, and physiology has shown that learning a second language will be a great benefit to preschool children. Compared with adults, children have more advantages in learning, such as better pronunciation and intonation. However, because of children’s inattention, the effects of the second language education in many preschools are not ideal in China. To make children learn the second language effectively, it should be integrated into their daily lives and in line with their interests. In this paper, an educational robot system with object recognition technology is introduced, which aims to provide innovative second language learning services for preschool children in China. The proposed system combines object recognition and projection with English teaching and makes objects in daily life more interesting with projected animation to attract children’s attention. On the projection screen, children can interact with a robot by touch or movement and can easily trigger more interactive effects. To evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed system, we conducted an experiment, and the results showed that the system can improve the language learning efficiency for the Chinese preschool children by interacting with objects under proper guidance.