Robot Education
I'm a teacher by trade and find that teaching is generics more than an acquired skill. The reason being that a lot of patience is required. I'm typically not the most patient individual, but when I step foot in the classroom somehow it all works out.
Interestingly enough, the Brits are training a robot to teach autistic kids. Kaspar, as the robot has been named which stands for Kinesics and Synchronization in Personal Assistant Robotics, is part of the Interactive Robotic Social Mediators as Companions (IROMEC) project, which is funded by the European Union.
According to Ben Robins, a researchers at the University of Hertfordshire's School of Computer Science who is part of the robotics development team, the project is currently investigating how robotic toys can become social "mediators" for human contact, helping autistic children interact with other children and adults. The project studies not only human verbal communication, but body movement and gestures which are all part of human behavior and communications.
Autistic children enjoy Kaspar because it performs basic actions like smiling or waving, which appeal to them since the actions are simple and predictable. Autistic individuals like familiarity and repetional behavior, as explained by Robins.
In a world where folks like Neil Postman, who believed that Technology was evil and that it represents the end of human interaction, it is nice to see that technology is being tested and put to good use and education; providing interaction for those who would typically be left by a corner or let go to waste. Now they have the ability to learn and perform things that they previously could not bringing a human side that they had lost to the disease. For more information regarding Kaspar, please refer to this article.
Interestingly enough, the Brits are training a robot to teach autistic kids. Kaspar, as the robot has been named which stands for Kinesics and Synchronization in Personal Assistant Robotics, is part of the Interactive Robotic Social Mediators as Companions (IROMEC) project, which is funded by the European Union.
According to Ben Robins, a researchers at the University of Hertfordshire's School of Computer Science who is part of the robotics development team, the project is currently investigating how robotic toys can become social "mediators" for human contact, helping autistic children interact with other children and adults. The project studies not only human verbal communication, but body movement and gestures which are all part of human behavior and communications.
Autistic children enjoy Kaspar because it performs basic actions like smiling or waving, which appeal to them since the actions are simple and predictable. Autistic individuals like familiarity and repetional behavior, as explained by Robins.
In a world where folks like Neil Postman, who believed that Technology was evil and that it represents the end of human interaction, it is nice to see that technology is being tested and put to good use and education; providing interaction for those who would typically be left by a corner or let go to waste. Now they have the ability to learn and perform things that they previously could not bringing a human side that they had lost to the disease. For more information regarding Kaspar, please refer to this article.
Labels: consumer, education, neil postman
