Are Mind-Reading Teacher Robots Clever or Creepy?

by SodaHead News Posted 2012/06/04 20:00:00

Related Topics: wakamaru, mind-reading, Robots, Education, Teachers, online classes, Bilge Mutlu, Dan Szafir, School, Prostitute, Teacher, Student, voice, Robot, Prostitutes, Smart, Online, Brain

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	Clever	193 votes	33%
	Creepy	394 votes	67%

Online classes are convenient for students, but they do have their drawbacks. For instance, how do you ensure that an online student is getting the most out of their lesson? It's impossible for a human teacher to monitor each student's attention level and engage them when their attention starts to wane. Well, Bilge Mutlu and Dan Szafir at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have come up with a solution: Mind-reading wakamaru robot teachers.

"Mind-reading robot" might strike fear in the hearts of those who are worried about a dystopian future, but these robots only measure the attention level of a student. An EEG sensor monitors activity in a certain part of the brain, then employs humanoid "tricks" -- raising it's voice, making eccentric gestures -- to regain the student's attention when it wanders. Studies have shown this actually does increase test scores by about 20 percent. Does it sound like a clever way of engaging remote learners, or a disturbing step in the wrong direction?

+16

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Jay Calderone 2012/06/04 23:26:17

Creepy

+19
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Ada Whitmire 2013/03/07 18:21:31

Clever

It doesn't really read minds. I could have used this, not the voice raising though I hate it when people shout >:(

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burningsnowman 2012/06/25 07:17:45

Creepy

This is the creepiest thing I've seen this week.

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spacesocks 2012/06/20 06:25:51 (edited)

Creepy

I think they're cute though. They're really cool looking. However, I would just be daydreaming about robots.

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Kibelle 2012/06/11 04:32:26

Clever

Can't I choose both answers? : D

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Evelyn 2012/06/10 08:04:44

Creepy

But if they help with the sleeping during class issue, I'm cool.

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Autumn 2012/06/09 21:34:32

Clever

Eccentric gestures.... Hmmmm.... ;)

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KATLYN 2012/06/08 15:58:25

Creepy

omg

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calvin236 2012/06/08 00:19:27 (edited)

Creepy

+1
Shaky idea, but I think how it's designed, it's a little bit creepy. The idea could be good if limits were placed and it was designed a little bit less creepy. And big brother is coming.....

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Posha King 2012/06/07 20:55:59

Clever

+1
In this context, this is clever. It's not really measuring our thoughts or intentions or anything personal. It's measuring attentiveness and simply employing attention-getting tactics to regain interest. Not too shabby. Better than what most human teachers do. Paired with a human teacher in a classroom, this could be a great tool!

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2020TRAV 2012/06/07 20:07:29

Clever

Robots police teachers Nuclear weapon Evil EU- president Super sinister depends on how its use Better off holding your Breath .Good intent bad if its use for Global refinery ( depopulate hmmmmm

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Fenris 2012/06/07 19:35:27

Clever

+1
NICE!

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Reikyrr 2012/06/07 09:42:18

Creepy

Love the idea, loathe the design . That's what is creeping me out...

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Kozmo to Reikyrr 2012/06/09 00:07:37

+1
Pictures are for illustration only, need not be humanoid.

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Reikyrr to Kozmo 2012/06/29 15:35:42

+1
Hmm, I wouldnt mind if the whole thing was build into a computer. I don't like current day humanoid robots.

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Kozmo to Reikyrr 2012/06/29 17:11:15

+1
You could have this built into the desk & linked with the class mainframe. Have some sensors placed on the student & have lights, (discrete) buzzers, things that move in your vision or even a vibrating seat, whichever works for the particular student. This could be used to idenify problems with some students so remedial action could be employed sooner to abate dropouts.

Independently moving anthropomorphic robots not needed.

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Reikyrr to Kozmo 2012/07/13 17:01:33

+1
Maybe even get bot in touch with parents so they know when their kid is not paying attention. It could be a solution for locations where school is hardly accesible.

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Kozmo to Reikyrr 2012/07/13 17:41:46

+1
This sounds workable in a 'virtual classroom' where there could be hundred's of pupils plugged in. Your suggestion of notifying the parents can be fruitful if the pupil's parents are too overwhelmed with other priorities to keep adequate track of their children, may not be good for those from a broken home though.

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Reikyrr to Kozmo 2012/07/18 11:38:24

+1
I agree, you need to keep things optional.

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AngelaDuke 2012/06/07 04:57:56

Creepy

Ahh! Will Smith! Save us! Ok that was corny, I know but seriously, they look just as creepy as they sound

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Mark Twain 2012/06/07 03:22:05

Clever

+1
Some of my best democratic friends are robots

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Skar 2012/06/06 22:05:24

Clever

+1
Both

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Sarah Alexander 2012/06/06 21:50:21 (edited)

Clever

+1
I love the idea! Kind of cute in a weird way, but would be creepy if they looked like people.

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Spyrit Wulf 2012/06/06 17:30:32

Creepy

+2
the only person i want in my head is me.

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Bastet 2012/06/06 15:42:34

Creepy

Not necessary. waste of money, and i prefer a trained teacher who can gauge all aspects of the classroom and not just EKG readings.

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cheighti g 2012/06/06 14:29:24

Clever

+1
they look pretty weird though.

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Katherine 2012/06/06 14:03:30

Clever

+1
Very cool; but frankly its the students own fault if they're not paying attention in class.

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His Love 2012/06/06 14:03:20

Creepy

Why not have more psychology classes for teachers, no need to read minds, just simple common sense to understand the many different minds of children and people..then maybe do the job they are getting paid to do, with an adequate amount of knowledge.

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Kozmo to His Love 2012/06/09 00:11:41

With class sizes ever getting larger & absentee parents not teaching values, this would be a cost-effective means to monitor student's attentiveness & have remedial action taken before it becomes a learning problem..

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His Love to Kozmo 2012/06/12 16:31:48

excuses excuses....doesn't work!

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Maryam 2012/06/06 08:09:50

Creepy

haa

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BIG BAD JOHN R. 2012/06/06 04:51:10

Creepy

This is all getting to far out of hand, Big brother, is taking over and sooner or later no one will have a job because the robot will work for you.

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AdrianM... to BIG BAD... 2012/06/06 22:50:07

Thaat could be really good - as long as I had the money to do what I needed - I would be able to pick what I enjoyed doing and not just take a job for enough to pay my bills, etc. - sounds like we would all be employers then. Just a minute though - how would we afford the Robots? - hmm - back to the drawing board, perhaps?

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Raphy 2012/06/06 03:26:28

Creepy

+3
What is this.....Doctor Who!!!!!

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adhikari_2000 2012/06/06 02:10:58

Clever

+1
You can’t mix intra-dependence from interdependence for any hard algorithm of choice of electronic engine control for action of optional electrons. Yet formal symmetry of Mind has broken with non-conventional stubborn action of Mind. You feel analog sequence of yet digitally countable part of memory in action conceived in Mind.EEG recordings are retracted action of distracted series of born difficulties with set of errors or not by Robot to correct or modify induced action but not with present series of actions.

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AdrianM... to adhikar... 2012/06/06 22:50:52

Ah - a matrix fan, methinks?

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Lauren 2012/06/06 01:47:57

Creepy

a disturbing step in the wrong direction ^

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Sailor Jerry 2012/06/06 01:02:22

Creepy

seeing as how my head's mostly in the gutter, i wouldn't want something to sift through my thoughts.

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AdrianM... to Sailor ... 2012/06/06 22:51:25

maybe a brain wash would help?

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Doctor 2012/06/06 00:46:23

Creepy

+3
We all know what comes next....

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Sarah 2012/06/05 23:13:16

Clever

+1
it actually might be a good idea. I like it! but it would probably get trashed or something at school. but the idea and how it works to me is pretty awsome!

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