Robot teacher in Japan

Robot taught by Japanese scientists conducted the first lecture at a school in Tokyo.

Students at Kudan Elementary School touch "teacher" Saya after school. Photo: Reuters.

Saya, a female-like robot, taught science and engineering in a class of 10 students at Kudan Tokyo Primary School.

With neat brown hair, pink lips, shirt and skirt, Saya looks very much like an average Japanese woman. This is the product of Tokyo University of Science. Thanks to a series of programmed movements (such as blink of an eye, laugh, nod), Saya's face can perform 6 basic emotions such as surprise, fear, anger, disgust, happiness and sadness. .

Professor Hiroshi Kobayashi, head of the design team, asserts that the main task of the 'teacher' Saya is to inspire science and technology to children. He also said that robots would be useful for schools lacking teachers.

'Students in many rural schools have no access to new technology. Even some small schools in the city do not have enough teachers to teach science and technology. So we hope that robots like Saya will help the schools deal with this situation. It can be remotely controlled during class , ' said Kobayashi.

Five years ago Saya was in charge of reception at many companies in Japan. It was reprogrammed earlier this year to become a teacher.