Japanese elementary school enrolls robot exchange student
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ATR's communication robot Robovie interacts with students at the Higashihikari elementary school in Kyoto, Japan (Photo: Mainichi news)
Robovie's body has been through several revisions, including this soft version designed to invite human touch
This version of Robovie met with people in a shopping mall, and was covered with touch-sensitive padding
Robovie R2, the second generation of ATR's communication robot, featured an exoskeleton which hid its internal mechanisms
Robovie R3, the most recent generation of ATR's communication robot, features a cuter appearance
Two different models of the Robovie R3, with the one on the right designed by famed robot creator Tomotaka Takahashi (ROBO-GARAGE)
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries attempted to market the technology as a household robot named Wakamaru
Despite Wakamaru's features, customers complained it wasn't very useful and sales plummeted
ATR's Robovie helped people shop for groceries in one research project
Senior citizens - experts on their local history - educated tourists through the Robovie in one research project
Article Summary
A new research program is underway in Japan which will introduce fifth graders to a 1.2 meter tall communication robot called Robovie over a period of 14 months. Researchers at the International Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute (ATR) say Robovie has the conversational skills of a five-year-old, which they hope to improve through daily interactions with the children at Higashihikari elementary school.
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