“Are you smart?”: Children’s Understanding of “Smart” Technologies

Kai Quander, Tanzila Roushan Milky, Natalie Aponte, Natalia Caceres Carrascal, Julia Woodward

Abstract: Although children are increasingly using smart technology, there is limited knowledge on what children define as “smart” for technology. Understanding what children expect as “smart” would ensure more effective positive experiences with smart devices. To investigate children’s expectations, we conducted five participatory design sessions with 10 children focused on designing smart technology. The children also interacted with four commercial smart devices (i.e., robot, AR headset, voice assistant, tablet with AR applications) and judged them on intelligence. We found that children expect smart technologies to have advanced intelligence, human-like characteristics, immersive experiences, and serve multiple purposes. Furthermore, children thought smart devices should be difficult and complex to make. We also observed negative interactions with current smart devices, such as physical device limitations. The insights gained from this study can inform the design and development of future smart technology devices, ensuring they are engaging and aligned with children’s needs and preferences.