Development of “Ovot”, a Partner Robot, Provides Feedback to the Learner on Stress Conditions

Abstract

Learning support robots have been attracting attention as a means of reducing the burden on teachers in recent years. Although learning support robots have been studied in the past, very little research has taken into account the stress levels of learners. Humans may perform better when experiencing moderate stress, in line with Yerkes-Dodson's law. However, learners often find it difficult to control their own stress while studying. In this study, we developed a learning support robot named 'Ovot' that quantitatively evaluates stress using heart rate information and provides stress feedback by changing LED colors and adjusting the position of its head. In the experiment, participants performed desk work under conditions with and without feedback from Ovot. Stroop tasks were performed before and after the desk work, and reaction times were measured and compared. As a result, learners were able to maintain appropriate stress levels by viewing Ovot's feedback. Moreover, reaction times were reduced (p < 0.05) in the condition with feedback compared to the condition without feedback. Thus, the use of Ovot helped learners maintain appropriate stress levels and improved their performance.