Interactive Robot-friend to Support Learning for Preschoolers Using Augmented Reality Technology

For the third-year project under the degree program of Information and Communication Technology of the Faculty of Applied Sciences, Rajarata University of Sri Lanka, the team Euler set their goal to implement an interactive robot-friend to support learning for preschoolers. The team Euler has formed with five members as follows. M.L.O.C. Chathuranga W.P.L.P. Dasanayake D.P.B.S.M. Dias G.G.W.K. Kumarasinghe M.G.J.M. Nawarathne This project focuses on implementing a robotic device to support learning for preschoolers with support of technologies like augmented reality (AR) and artificial intelligence (AI), which could provide more interactive, more close learning experience to the child, where children can learn while seeing, sensing and touching. Basically, our intended system teaches the basics of the secondary language English, i.e. the alphabet, words, numbers and how to count numbers through an AR based game. Further the system allows the child to communicate with the robot

The very first years of a child's education is crucial in terms of social, physical, intellectual, creative and emotional development, as during those years both mental and physical abilities of a child progresses at an astonishing rate compared to other stages of human life. As a matter of fact, a greater proportion of learning takes place during these early years of education. When we consider the early education, we come to the topic of primary or preschool education. This stage of preschoolers (approximately the age of 3 to 6), is considered to be one of the magical and imaginary phases of life, where they improve their creativity, innovation and other skills. Also, during this stage the very first experiences children receive from the things around them and the things happening around them are well structured in their minds. Further, this stage of preschooler’s is considered to be a preoperative stage of cognitive development, where they recognize colors, shapes and sizes a