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Reading, Writing & Robots at Ridgefield
"WOULD YOU LIKE TO PLAY AGAIN?" asks the diminutive robot named Peter. Several of the 3- and 4-year-olds in the pre-K/kindergarten class are excited about the prospect. "Yes, robot!" "Let's do it again!" "I love this robot!" they call out. "Can you show me a dog?" asks Peter as the classroom teacher nods to the child whose turn it is to answer. The little girl walks to the front of the room, picks up a card with a photo of a dog and holds it in front of the robot's "eyes." "Well done," Peter says calmly, slowly raising his fist in a victory salute.All of the children clap and cheer.
Humanoid robots like Peter are stepping into New Jersey classrooms as electronic teacher aides, helping students with everything from responding to social cues and language to improving fine motor skills. The robots can dance, pose questions and "understand" verbal and nonverbal answers. And, oh, yes, once they master facial recognition, they can greet you by name, keep a record of your progress and even ask for a kiss.