3/10/2009

University of Tokyo promotes their robo-receptionist to a robo-teacher

In our 2006 report Robot Love, the 3Yen covered a robot called, “Saya,” who was propped up as a receptionist at the Science University of Tokyo. Judging from the the expression on the face Saya the fem-bot, she did not have much job satisfaction. Now looking at her face, Saya seems much happier as a robo-teacher at a demonstration primary school in Tokyo (even though they did force her to wear the same yellow women’s suit for the past five years).

Robot teacher that can take the register and get angry
–School pupils are to be taught by the world’s first robot teacher in one of the most radical uses so far of android technology.–
Telegraph.co.UK 06 Mar 2009— Robot teacher: Named Saya, she can speak different languages, carry out roll calls, set tasks and make facial expressions. The device, created by scientists after 15 years of research, is being trialled at a primary school in Tokyo.
Named Saya, she can speak different languages, carry out roll calls, set tasks and make facial expressions –including anger– thanks to 18 motors hidden behind her latex face.…more…

Posted by Taro in Education, Electronics, General | 2 Comments »

DID YOU LIKE THIS ARTICLE? Bookmark it:

- Tell a friend

1. Taro Says:
   March 11th, 2009 at 11:28 am

   Saya the teaching robot, makes debut in Japanese school
   Herald Sun–March 10, 2009 10:49am
   In what could be a way of the future, primary students in Tokyo are being taught by a robot.Saya is the result of 15 years of research and is being tested as a teacher after working as a receptionist. It is multilingual, can organise set tasks for pupils, call the roll and get angry when the kids misbehave.
   Saya is just one example of Japan’s determination to put a robot in every home by 2015. Others are already used as traffic wardens.
   The robot was originally developed for companies who want to cut costs by replacing office workers a such as secretaries and receptionists with an android that had a range of human expressions.…more...

2. Rob Pongi Says:
   March 12th, 2009 at 2:21 pm

   Hey Taro-sama, did you see this?
   

   The Neoseeker.com wrote:
   “You got to hand it to those zany Japanese scientists. They are just one step ahead of everyone else in the whole robo-game.
   Coming for a trail-run at a classroom somewhere in the heart of Tokyo is this robo-teacher. Her name is Saya. Her creator, science professor?Dr. Light?Hiroshi Kobayashi, spent the last 15 years working diligently on her.
   Teacher Saya can speak a few different languages, interact with the students, take attendance, assign homework, and her face is capable of displaying robo-emotions utilizing 18 different motors. Saya wasn’t built only to teach: she is a general purpose robot, that has been used in other roles.” …more....

Leave a Reply