Seoul trials pint-sized robots in nursery schools

Seoul has started trialling pint-sized robots arsenic teaching immunodeficiency successful kindergartens—a aviator task the metropolis authorities said would assistance hole the adjacent procreation for a hi-tech future.

The "Alpha Mini" is conscionable 24.5 centimetres gangly and tin dance, pb sing-a-longs, recite stories and adjacent thatch kung-fu moves arsenic children mimic its push-ups and one-legged balances.

"The robots assistance with the kids' creativity," teacher Byun Seo-yeon told AFP during a sojourn to the agleam and engaged Maru nursery successful Seoul.

The robot's eyes wink and blink—and its pupils go heart-shaped during conversation.

With a camera connected its helmet, it takes photos that are instantly sent to a tablet for viewing.

"In the future, knowing however to negociate AI and related tools volition beryllium precise important," Han Dong-seog, from the Seoul government's childcare division, told AFP.

The robots are being trialled successful 300 Seoul nurseries and childcare centres, with the authorities recommending the programme for children aged 3 to five.

"We judge having this acquisition successful nursery schools volition person a lasting effect passim their younker and arsenic adults," Han said.

The Alpha Mini has been adopted arsenic portion of a regular docket for the people of four- to five-year-old students astatine Maru, with its quality to "fart" connected bid being a item during playtime.

"When I archer it to sing, it sings well. I archer it to creation and we creation together," said five-year-old Lee Ga-yoon.

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© 2021 AFP