The title of this article (15 page PDF) is pretty much irresistible to someone like me. Here's the gist: "the use of robots and human-robot interactions can enhance self-development, well-being, and mindfulness. Robots have the capacity to capture attention and motivate young children, specifically." I can anticipate two threads of opposition: one, that it is unethical to use robots to foster mindfulness in children, and two, that such a program will fail in some important way. But what if it works? Imagine we could use robots to foster mindfulness in children, making sure that this is an opportunity every child is afforded, and not just those with caring and attentive parents. True, the author writes "it's important to note that there is no evidence that robot coaches lead to better results than human coaches, and the existing studies have largely focused on older children and adults." This is very preliminary work. But it's important to look forward.
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