Related Sections: Robots
Robot teacher unleashed on the schoolchildren of Japan
They say that everyone remembers their first grade teacher. Well, I'm guessing that'd be doubly true if your first grade teacher was a robot, which is an experience some kids in Tokyo are getting.
Saya the robot teacher is able to speak various languages, take roll call, assign basic tasks to students and express her current mood using facial expressions powered by 18 motors. It doesn't, I'm guessing, administer lessons or give individual attention to students. But hey, it performs basically all the tasks that a substitute teacher does, so I guess it's a cheaper alternative for cash-strapped schools. The wave of the future?
By Asakari at 5:13 PM ON 03/10/09
I believe my first grade teacher was the prototype.
By SusieQ at 6:50 PM ON 03/10/09
My first grade teacher actually played the guitar and sang songs.
I can imagine that kids learn will pretty quickly that the robot can't punish them when they misbehave, so I suspect that not much learning would be accomplished.
By Alan at 12:56 PM ON 03/11/09
I'm not sure "unleashed" is quite the word to use in your headline, nor do i believe for one moment that the machine is capable of expressing "her current mood"; one wonders what the punishment would be for throwing the thing out the window. fun for kids!
By Theoriginalgiga at 1:51 PM ON 03/11/09
@alan: Japanese children tend to be better behaved and trained so I doubt they would do that, but after all they are kids.
this is a cool step forward to a society with an integrated robot population. Just remember, when our metal overlords rise up and take control of the world, stay away from the windows to limit human deaths
By IsoTek at 3:47 PM ON 03/11/09
@Theoriginalgiga, you have to remember Japanese kids have a sense of humor just like American kids so it could be no time before they do something devious to the robot like putting a bag over it's head. Remember these are the peoples that came up with the idea of Kancho as a really fun practical joke to play on someone.
By Kareem Abdul-Jabar at 8:57 AM ON 03/12/09
Robots are taking over the world!
By Sian at 9:53 AM ON 03/12/09
Yeah, but how accurately will it throw chalk?
By Ria at 11:08 PM ON 03/13/09
Japanese kids may be better on the whole, but it only takes one kid (maybe 2 i don't know how heavy it is) to throw it out the window.
By Rassah at 10:47 AM ON 03/19/09
American university students have been taught by robots for years now. They're called "Laptop running MS PowerPoint." Someone should really come up with a shorter name...
By nattyis at 6:28 PM ON 05/10/09
My opinion is...."fantastic", about time; maybe our school taxes will go down (ha that's a joke)? At least "all" students would be treated equal; machines are not predjudice!
By mb1 at 11:37 AM ON 05/11/09
Okay, can I just say one word?
iRobot
By The Baron at 9:52 AM ON 05/13/09
Nattyis, you should see my racist robot.
By LoveSocket at 7:40 PM ON 05/13/09
Japanese Robot Porn coming very soon... I dare you to say it isn't.
on your cellphone!
Text DVICE to 72434
editor@dvice.com
LoveSocket:
Japanese Robot Porn coming very soon... I dare you to say it isn't....More »