In a pioneering move, a city in Japan is set to introduce robots to attend school and sit in classrooms instead of students. This innovative approach aims to assist children who may be reluctant to attend school or are unfamiliar with the school environment. The robots will serve as learning aids, enabling students to engage in lessons and communicate with teachers from the comfort of their own homes.According to the local newspaper Mainichi Shimbun, the city of Kumamoto in southwestern Japan is planning to conduct a virtual attendance experiment using robots. These robots will be equipped with microphones, speakers, and cameras, facilitating seamless communication between students and teachers. The initiative is scheduled to be implemented in classrooms by November, with the three-foot-tall robots operating autonomously.
The Kumamoto Municipal Board of Education has highlighted that this initiative is the first of its kind in Japan, with the primary goal of alleviating the anxiety experienced by absent students. Through these robots, students will have the ability to remotely control their representation in the school environment from their own homes. This approach will enable them to actively participate in classes and engage in discussions with their classmates, as stated by the Kumamoto Municipal Board of Education.
