Yvette Pearson

About

Yvette Pearson is a leading voice in the ethics of human-robot interaction, with a particular focus on the impact of robotic companions on child development. Her research critically examines how robot caregivers and companions can reshape childhood, exploring themes of emotional development, moral growth, and the capacity for play. Pearson’s most influential work, “Robot caregivers: harbingers of expanded freedom for all?” (108 citations), applies the capabilities approach to argue that thoughtfully designed robots can enhance human flourishing rather than diminish it. She further investigates the ethics of creating esthetic features for children’s robot companions (33 citations) and the broader implications for emotional and moral development (21 and 14 citations, respectively). By bridging philosophy, law, and technology, Pearson challenges us to consider not just what robots can do, but what they should do in the lives of our most vulnerable populations. Her scholarship is essential reading for anyone interested in the responsible design of AI and robotics for children.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   Robot caregivers: harbingers of expanded freedom for all?

   108 citations · 2010
2. 2
   Creating “companions” for children: the ethics of designing esthetic features for robots

   33 citations · 2012
3. 3
   Companion Robots and the Emotional Development of Children

   21 citations · 2013
4. 4
   The Intervention of Robot Caregivers and the Cultivation of Children’s Capability to Play

   14 citations · 2011
5. 5
   Child-Robot Interaction

   8 citations · 2019
6. 6
   The Impact of Robot Companions on the Moral Development of Children

   3 citations · 2021
7. 7
   Robot caregivers: harbingers of expanded freedom for all?

   3 citations · 2020

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links