Saya, a lifelike robot with the ability to smile, scold and call roll, was tested in a Japanese classroom earlier this year. And since the logistical problems with programming a robot to teach children are very obvious, the robot’s developer, Tokyo University of Science professor Hiroshi Kobayashi, insists that the robot is meant to be a tool and not a replacement for humans.What I find most interesting about this story is that not only does Japan have an apparent shortage of teachers and labor, university professors there have the time and resources to build elaborate, expensive robots which are ironically impractical.Fun story though. Read more about Saya at NY Daily News.Photo: Koji Sasahara, AP
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