The interdisciplinary venture in research has always been a key element in Professor Susanna Yeung Siu-sze’s intellectual pursuit, but it was the COVID-19 pandemic and a visit to a robotics company that truly brought that vision to life.
As social-distancing disrupted essential teacher-student interactions, which are crucial for young English learners, the urgency for creative solutions in language education surged. Enter Professor Susanna Yeung Siu-sze and her ground-breaking creation: Joey, an interactive social robot designed to teach English to children aged between four and nine years old.
Equipped with advanced speech recognition and gesture detection, and powered by Generative AI, Joey is designed to make language learning both accessible and deeply engaging. With its expressive face, moving arms, and captivating AI-generated visuals, Joey mimics human interaction, promising an immersive, personalised learning experience tailored to the diverse needs of children in kindergarten and young learners, including those with special educational needs.
At the heart of Joey’s design are three interactive functions that transform how children develop listening comprehension, oral expression and memory retention skills. The ‘Listen’ function narrates enchanting stories paired with vibrant visuals, while the ‘Co-tell’ function invites children to participate in storytelling by encouraging them to respond to questions. Finally, the ‘Re-tell’ function empowers them to recount stories independently, providing guiding questions for support when needed.
From the intricate dance of hardware and software development and design to the thrilling moment it first engages young English learners, this social robot is a true labour of love. It embodies a delicate balance between available resources and ambitious goals, as well as a thoughtful compromise between technical capabilities and user-friendliness. Every function reflects a passion for education, where creativity meets practicality, resulting in a magical experience that fosters curiosity and joy in learning.
Three years and multiple international awards later, the research is moving into an exciting new phase. Professor Yeung and her team at the Hong Kong Science Park are continually refining their design, based on user feedback and insights gathered from Joey’s ongoing school visits.
Always on the lookout for inspiration, Professor Yeung turns her research in language education and psychology into an “evolving, exciting creativity process.” With the second and third generations of the social robot already in development, the seasoned scholar, with over a decade of experience, anticipates Joey’s applications extending beyond language learning into other educational fields.
Looking at her confident smile, it is clear that the sky is not the limit; it’s just the beginning.
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