Software architecture for YOLO, a creativity-stimulating robot

TL;DR

This paper presents the software architecture of YOLO, a social robot designed to stimulate children's creativity through storytelling, incorporating AI-driven creativity behaviors and social personality parameters.

Contribution

It introduces a novel AI software framework for social robots that integrates creativity stimulation and believable social behaviors based on psychological theories.

Findings

YOLO effectively stimulates children's creativity in storytelling.

The software enables the robot to switch between convergent and divergent thinking.

Social behaviors enhance immersive play and character believability.

Abstract

YOLO is a social robot designed and developed to stimulate creativity in children through storytelling activities. Children use it as a character in their stories. This article details the artificial intelligence software developed for YOLO. The implemented software schedules through several Creativity Behaviors to find the ones that stimulate creativity more effectively. YOLO can choose between convergent and divergent thinking techniques, two important processes of creative thought. These techniques were developed based on the psychological theories of creativity development and on research from creativity experts who work with children. Additionally, this software allows the creation of Social Behaviors that enable the robot to behave as a believable character. On top of our framework, we built 3 main social behavior parameters: Exuberant, Aloof, and Harmonious. These behaviors are meant to ease immersive play and the process of character creation. The 3 social behaviors were based on psychological theories of personality and developed using children's input during co-design studies. Overall, this work presents an attempt to design, develop, and deploy social robots that nurture intrinsic human abilities, such as the ability to be creative.