Rethinking social development with Moxie, a robot companion for kids

With its blue body and big anime eyes, Moxie wants to be friends with your child. Named one of Time’s top inventions of 2020, the AI-powered robot is designed to support the social, emotional and cognitive development of children through play-based learning and lessons on turn taking, eye contact, and problem solving. Roboticist and former NASA scientist Paolo Pirjanian founded Embodied, Inc., in 2016, with an aim to counter the negative effects on children’s social skills due to screen time and social media, by using play-based learning via robotics. Pirjanian says that applications for robots like Moxie are unlimited whether it's language learning or life coaching. He tells CNN's Kristie Lu Stout: "We wanted Moxie to be a friend, a peer. This is a sidekick that allows the child to go through difficult conversations and share difficult moments."