Humanoids in STEM outreach

A framework for responsible deployment through engaged research

Bibliographic Data

ID22164679
AuthorsMaximiliano Delgado (Ollscoil na Gaillimhe – University of Galway), Maximiliano A Delgado (Ollscoil na Gaillimhe – University of Galway), Cornelia Connolly (0000-0001-9778-5569, Ollscoil na Gaillimhe – University of Galway), Derek Timothy O'Keeffe (Ollscoil na Gaillimhe – University of Galway)
Year2026
Volume11
Publication date2026-04-13
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueFrontiers in Education (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2504-284X • E-ISSN: 2504-284X
PublisherFrontiers Media SA (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3389/feduc.2026.1792322
OpenAlexW7154007129
LanguageEN
References cited6

This perspective reports on 2025 field deployments of a full-size humanoid robot across diverse settings, from a large-scale mental health charity event to primary and secondary classrooms in Ireland. While high-fidelity humanoids significantly increase student engagement and ’social relief’, they introduce complex challenges regarding physical safety, anthropomorphic bias, and regulatory compliance. We describe a ‘Tin Man’ framing strategy used to manage student expectations and report on the technical limitations of LLM-driven interactions in sensitive environments. We argue that the move toward life-size humanoids in schools requires a shift from pedagogy-first to governance-first deployment strategies. Key recommendations include age-gating full-size systems for secondary education and establishing clear ‘kinematic buffer zones.’ This work contributes to the emerging discourse on the ethical and physical integration of high-mass robotics in public and educational spaces

Humanoid robot · Robotics · Software deployment · Robotic Locomotion and Control · Social Robot Interaction and HRI · Teaching and Learning Programming

Tools

Open DOIOpen Access