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Teachers from the 21st century - 17th December 2021

Classrooms in Seoul, South Korea have a new arrival: the world’s most petite teaching assistants. The miniature robots, called "Alpha Mini", stand just 24.5 centimetres high.

They possess a whole variety of skills, from dancing, leading singalongs and reading stories to teaching Kung Fu moves and doing push-ups. Although, for 4 and 5 year olds, perhaps Alpha Mini’s best talent is its ability to fart on command during break times.

Jang Min-sung: "It’s great fun."

Lee Ga-yoon: "When I tell it to sing, it sings well. I tell it to dance and we dance together. I can tell it to sit down on a chair I made."

Jang Min-sung: "I enjoy it watching it do kung-fu and singing."

Lee Ga-yoon: "Playing with the robot makes me happy."

Behind the fun lies a very serious intention, which is to help children become familiar with AI, or artificial intelligence. Han Dong-seog leads a team in Seoul's Childcare Division.

Han Dong-seog: "In the future, knowing how to manage AI and related tools will be very important. We believe having such experience in nursery schools will have a lasting effect through their youth and as adults."

The initial trial is taking place across 300 Seoul nurseries and childcare centres. At present, Alpha Mini forms part of the daily schedule for children aged 4 to 6, although the authorities intend to extend Alpha Mini’s teaching abilities to 3 year olds.

But in spite of the success of Alpha Mini, there are no plans for them to replace teachers.

Han Dong-seog: "We don’t think the robots will replace teachers, but they will assist them. After this year’s pilot programme and as we continue the programme next year, we will definitely have to develop a manual regarding the robot’s role and position."

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