The Robots are the Same, the Children are Not

Most studies in Child Robot Interaction focus on how children interact with robots. Very few studies look at the different types of children that interact with robots. Exploring why different children interact and how they engage with the robots provides insight into how the robots can be modified to better engage children. This paper describes two case studies and proposes a spectrum of intrinsic engagement. Some children are enthusiastic about robots and willingly interact, others only do so because they have to. In between these two extremes are the children we can most influence by changing our robots