Custom essays: Social robot in education

Current extremely high rates of development of contemporary science and technology now allow people to create things which would seem fantastic just a few decades ago. Modern achievements of robotics technologies are reflected in production of robots which perform so many functions that can be easily used in various spheres of life from industrial production to social assistance. In the present paper, we will discuss the possibilities revealed by robotics development in a particular sphere of education. We will review some of the existing social robot models designed for schools, and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of such application of robots.

Significant reduction in the number of working-age population causes a wide use of robots. Thus, Japan lacks workers, and to correct the situation in the future and simulate the birth rate, the government has greatly increased the monthly child allowance up to $ 270. The question of attracting workers from abroad is under consideration, as Japan in the real economic sector employs only 2% of foreign workers, which is the lowest index among developed countries. For comparison, in the U.S. it is 15% and in the UK – 10%.
According to experts, the main step to changing the situation is large-scale use of robots. Robots have already learned to replace people in medicine and social sphere. In shops they help buyers to choose the goods and complete a purchase. Hospital robots perform some nurse duties serving drugs, helping patients to get up or even carrying them to designated places. Some robots work at hospital reception desks.
Thus, the emergence of social robots is conditioned by the way of development of modern industry and science. Further, we will consider the possibilities of modern social robots, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of their introduction into education.

Modern technical capabilities and arrangement of social robots

Social Robot is a robot capable of interacting and communicating with people in autonomous or semi-autonomous mode.
Current situation with the robots resembles the emergence and mass distribution of personal computers. Currently, there are all the technical tools needed to create humanoid robots (Duffy 2003).
Recognition systems are able to identify simple three-dimensional objects, their orientation and composition in space, and also can add the missing parts, using the information from its database. The development of robots looking practically indistinguishable from people continues. The technique of robot emotions simulation with the help of gestures and facial expressions is being developed. Some robots are able to open and close their eyes, move their lips and eyebrows, and use hands and feet (Becker 2006).
In addition to the widely used neural network technologies (with a mathematical base of their creation for certain tasks), there are algorithms for robot’s self-education and interaction with objects in the real three-dimensional world (Fong 2003).
All of the above technologies are developed separately in different laboratories around the world, but being united, they will significantly advance the creation of robots with human body shape and behavior. The next step of robotics industry is standardization of components: e.g., creating “a set of logic” chips, each having a standardized interface and being responsible for one of the questions listed above. Such a set can be used both in expensive robots with complex behavior (using specially designed more expensive and productive components), and in more simple ones (e.g., toys performing simplified functions, but with the same interfaces between components). Thus, today, social robot is no longer a fantasy, but social reality, particularly for modern students and teachers.