Are Mind-Reading Teacher Robots Clever or Creepy?
SodaHead News
2012/06/04 20:00:00
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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?
"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?
Top Opinion
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Jay Calderone 2012/06/04 23:26:17
I'm open to modern technology ,as long as it's not trying to hurt me.
If modern technology can teach me things that I do not know; then its cool.
(NDAA, arrest without warrant or trial, indefinetly detained based on suspision NOT fact or evidence! and guess what, in america if you have an anti war mentality you are viewed as al queada! so wanting peace is a potential reason for the government to lock you up!)
(propaganda like hitler put out)
(iwatch for the web)
the majority are unthinking!
In that way, when you attempt to insult someone, you would actually make sense.
As it stands, you're revealing yourself to be illiterate as well as grammatically challenged.
Really, this isn't a big deal at all, though it is a rather clever solution.
How long before it starts employing more direct methods?