Manufacture and development of Taban: a cute back-projected head social robot for educational purposes

Abstract

One of the most important aspects in the design of a social robot is its visual appeal, with the design of its head playing a particularly important role in this regard. The head design for social robots has been developed using a variety of ways; one that has become popular today is the use of an in-head projector to create a 3D face for the robot. In this research, we review the design specifications and development stages of the Taban 1 and Taban 2 social robots, which were developed for communication with children in educational sessions. One notable feature of these robots is the presence of a projector located inside the back of the head, which displays the image of different characters on various 3D masks, enhancing the robot's appeal and preventing children from getting bored with the interaction. Due to the low attractiveness of the Taban 1, the Taban 2 robot was developed to increase its desirability. The study explores the conceptual and detailed design of the robots, including their hardware and software components. As children prefer a more cartoon-like horizontal face, this study also highlights the advantages of a horizontal face design, allowing for more cartoon-like characters. To evaluate the effectiveness of child–robot interaction and to study whether the Taban 2 robot is more attractive to children than the Taban 1 or not, acceptance sessions were conducted. The participants expressed high satisfaction and positive reception towards Taban 2, considering it a likable, intelligent, and safe technological teaching aid.