|
The
language-teaching machine comprises a humanoid robot and mobile
application, one of four robots in a pilot program at primary
schools in the southern city of Tampere.
The robot is able to understand and speak 23 languages and is
equipped with software that allows it to understand students'
requirements and helps it to encourage learning. In this trial
however, it communicates in English, Finnish and German only.
The robot recognizes the pupil's skill levels and adjusts its
questions accordingly. It also gives feedback to teachers about
a student's possible problems.
Some of the human teachers who have worked with the technology
see it as a new way to engage children in learning.
"I think in the new curriculum the main idea is to get the kids
involved and get them motivated and make them active. I see
Elias as one of the tools to get different kinds of practice and
different kinds of activities into the classroom," language
teacher Riikka Kolunsarka told Reuters.
"In that sense I think robots and coding the robots and working
with them is definitely something that is according to the new
curriculum and something that we teachers need to be open minded
about."
Elias the language robot, which stands around a foot tall, is
based on SoftBank's NAO humanoid interactive companion robot,
with software developed by Utelias, a developer of educational
software for social robots.
The Maths robot - dubbed OVObot - which is a small, blue machine
around 25 cm (10 inches) high and resembles an owl, was
developed by Finnish AI Robots.
The purpose of the pilot project is to see if these robots can
improve the quality of teaching, with one of the Elias robots
and three of the OVObots deployed in schools. The OVObots will
be trialled for one year, while the school has bought the Elias
robot, so its use can continue longer.
Using robots in classrooms is not new - teaching robots have
been used in the Middle East, Asia and the United States in
recent years, but modern technologies such as cloud services and
3D printing are allowing smaller start-up companies to enter the
sector.
"Well, it is fun, interesting and exciting and I'm a bit
shocked," pupil Abisha Jinia told Reuters, giving her verdict on
Elias the language robot.
Despite their skills in language and mathematics however, the
robots' inability to maintain discipline amongst a class of
primary school children means that, for the time being at least,
the human teachers' jobs are safe.
(Reporting by Attila Cser; Writing by Mark Hanrahan in London;
editing by David Stamp)
[© 2018 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2018 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.
|
|
