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Emeryville’s LeapFrog rose to success with education gadgets such as the LeapPad and Leapster, which are aimed at teaching young children how to read and do math. While the company soared after it went public in 2002, it hit a wall in 2004 and has struggled to regain its footing. But over the last year, LeapFrog has started to claw back with the help of the Tag Reader, a new innovative tool that helps children read. Now under the guidance of longtime Chief Financial Officer Bill Chiasson, who assumed the role of CEO in March, the company is looking to lead again by leveraging the latest advances in technology and connectivity.

Q: How has America’s love affair with gadgets changed or helped your business?

A: People no longer just look at how a gadget works, they also want quality content optimized for that gadget and for their needs. Parents and children care just as much about “what’s inside,” and what software or applications will improve or add value to their lives. We find that children want content that is fresh, fun and highly interactive. We also find that parents want content that will help their child learn valuable skills, for home and school. And both parents and children want hardware and software experiences that are intuitive and provide real-time feedback on progress – from level to level of a game or into the next phase of learning new words, for instance.

Q: How is the emergence of tablets like the iPad informing your business?

A: We look to be informed by that technology and understand what its applications are for a 4- to 9-year-old. And we’re seeing how to make it affordable for them, how to make it the right form factor for them and most importantly what kind of content we can bring into that form factor that really helps that child with that personal learning journey.

Q: Are we losing anything by relying on technology to help teach our kids?

A: At LeapFrog, we’re not seeing that. It is important to remember that technology is nothing until someone picks it up and interacts with it, so the process remains very much human-driven. Technology at its best enables rich, customizable experiences that are appropriate for the user’s age, needs and interests.

This article appeared on page E – 3 of the San Francisco Chronicle