NationStates Jolt Archive

Robot teacher has human touch

The world's first robot teacher proved a hit with pupils on her first day at a Japanese primary school.

One pupil described Saya as "pretty" another said that she was a bit "scary but fun" while another said that he "couldn't believe he was getting taught by a robot".

First, she called the name of each child before asking the pupils to carry out tasks from a text book for the pilot project in Kudan Primary School, next to Tokyo University.

Professor Hiroshi Kobayashi, of Tokyo's University of Science, who has been developing the robot for 15 years, said: "The children were not fazed by Saya at all.

"They don't see her as a humanoid but human. They were very happy and surprised when she was able to call their names. They treated Saya like a real teacher."

Saya's steel skull is covered with fine latex cast from a female university student. Underneath, a system of 18 motors works like muscles to give her facial expressions including surprise, fear, disgust, anger, happiness and sadness.

The robot is able to talk, potentially in any language, move her head and respond to questions. She currently speaks around 300 phrases and has a vocabulary of 700 words and is programmed to respond to words and questions.

It is planned that the first robot teachers will be used in several classrooms where they will be operated by 'controller' teachers operating from a control centre.

Each teacher robot has a price tag up to £25,000. They are claimed to be the first economically viable robot and aim to make back their money in a couple of years.

"The aim is to develop something that is useful to society and humans in daily life. The robot teacher is the perfect application for a robot," added Professor Kobayashi.

Link (http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_3313080.html)

We are getting closer to The Second Renaissance! :eek:

I for once welcome our robotic overlords.

If it doesn't think, then we're no closer. When we finally do create artificial life, however, I'll be out there celebrating it, though I'm fully aware it's going to have some stupid tempting fate name like SHODAN or GLaDOS. (because Skynet and Hal 9000 have already been taken. YOU SEE?)

Still, it's an impressive technological feat that could only possibly be used to tutor children that don't argue and cause trouble, since it doesn't have that 'human factor' that a teacher can rely on to resolve a situation like that. Once it starts thinking, however... :D

As long as the robot teachers don't get exposed to the darker side of American education culture coughcoughMaryKayLeTouneaucoughcough then we should be fine.

If it doesn't think, then we're no closer. When we finally do create artificial life, however, I'll be out there celebrating it, though I'm fully aware it's going to have some stupid tempting fate name like SHODAN or GLaDOS. (because Skynet and Hal 9000 have already been taken. YOU SEE?)

Still, it's an impressive technological feat that could only possibly be used to tutor children that don't argue and cause trouble, since it doesn't have that 'human factor' that a teacher can rely on to resolve a situation like that. Once it starts thinking, however... :D

We'll know we've achieved a true AI when, instead of declaring nuclear war, it spends all of its time downloading terabytes of porn.

Yeah, that's it: A computerized teacher in a room full of tech-savvy children. This will end well. :)

Yeah, that's it: A computerized teacher in a room full of tech-savvy children. This will end well. :)

They will be playing twister with that thing watching the class in no time.

So first robots are built to speed up manufacturing, taking away jobs. Now robots are replacing teachers. Taking away more jobs. You know why the robot pays for itself after a while? Because you stop paying a salary.

We'll know we've achieved a true AI when, instead of declaring nuclear war, it spends all of its time downloading terabytes of porn.

I am going to sig that.

I am going to sig that.

Oh, why dear me. I'm quite flattered. :)

But, what if they start outsourcing teaching jobs to this:

http://thefaust.files.wordpress.com/2008/06/terminator.jpg


:(

But, what if they start outsourcing teaching jobs to this:

http://thefaust.files.wordpress.com/2008/06/terminator.jpg


:(

"Who is your Daddy and what does he do? Is he John Connor?"

But, what if they start outsourcing teaching jobs to this:

http://thefaust.files.wordpress.com/2008/06/terminator.jpg


:(

Kindergarten Cop 2: Judgement Day.

:eek:

"Who is your Daddy and what does he do? Is he John Connor?"

Kindergarten Cop 2: Judgement Day.

:eek:

OMG! That would be so fucking funny as hell! http://generalitemafia.ipbfree.com/uploads/ipbfree.com/generalitemafia/emo-24.gif

Rule 34.

But, what if they start outsourcing teaching jobs to this:

http://thefaust.files.wordpress.com/2008/06/terminator.jpg


:(

"Come with me if you want to learn algebra."

But, what if they start outsourcing teaching jobs to this:

http://thefaust.files.wordpress.com/2008/06/terminator.jpg


:(

Classroom discipline problems would cease.

Classroom discipline problems would cease.

I think you underestimate kindergartners. :p

Rule 34.

You know some computer/robot geek is going to reprogram the robot to be a stripper. *nods*

You know some computer/robot geek is going to reprogram the robot to be a stripper. *nods*

That and reprogram it to give them A grades for the whole term and give people they don't like a bunch of Fs. This could be the start of a social revolution in schools in which the computer geeks replace the sports lot as the new elite.

They will be playing twister with that thing watching the class in no time.

Naked twister. The youth of today are out of control you know :p

If someone was trying to teach me with a robot, I'd walk out of the classroom. What a waste of resources.

As long as the robot teachers don't get exposed to the darker side of American education culture coughcoughMaryKayLeTouneaucoughcough then we should be fine.

I don't think robots can be charged with statutory rape. And technically she's only like 6 weeks old.

I have heard that computer technology basicly doubles every year. And when you multiply 2x2x2x2x2x2x2..... you eventually end up with a very large number.