South Korea Introducing Robotic Teachers 210
dorkygeek writes "The Korean Advanced Intelligent Robot Association (KAIRA) will have 64 educational robots deployed by the end of 2005. Able to read out English stories and correct pronunciation of English words to children, these robots are going to be supplied to apartment complexes in Seoul, Bucheon and Bundang in Gyeonggi province for testing purposes. After testing is complete, the Ministry of Information and Communication and KAIRA plan to commercialize the robots as early as 2006. If there exists sufficient demand, education robots will sport other subjects (as mathematics, etc.) apart from English, as well as also target older students." Update Link removed when host decided to change it to porn. Sorry.
Mr Explete-o-matic (Score:4, Interesting)
Interesting indeed (Score:5, Interesting)
Just take in mind that theese metal cans must understand childs, which are so easily distracted and with so many different types of voices and speaches.
Think about the fact that theese robots should have somehow nice look and to be unobtrusive.
Re:Mr Explete-o-matic (Score:3, Interesting)
That's not the only fun you can have with a Furby. If you drop one from a high enough height, and it lands right, it will start going insane, eyes blinking uncontrollably, and making excited little noises. It's actually pretty scary. The only way to make it stop is to open it up and tear out the batteries.
But more to the point, about the hackable robots. Surely this is something we need to expect, is it not? I mean, the more we venture into technology, the more likely we are to find out flaws and exploits, and the more likely it is that someone will abuse something created with good intentions. The reason killer robots are so common in fiction is not just because it makes an interesting story, but because it is a very likely outcome. It's really just a matter of time.
Re:What's wrong with people, people? (Score:3, Interesting)
The purpose of formal language instruction is to teach rules. The advanced classes can have human teachers.
Comment removed (Score:5, Interesting)
the fun they had (Score:3, Interesting)
Isaac Asimov story about robotic teachers, and nostalgia for simpler times
Re:Sounds Familiar (Score:0, Interesting)
OK, that's fine, if that's where you are, but they were selling these things in Australia. Thousands of kids with these things wondered why "color" got marked wrong by their teacher.
Comment removed (Score:4, Interesting)
English-teaching robots are an American invention (Score:2, Interesting)