GoKawiilSign up to see the future, today Can’t-miss innovations from the bleeding edge of science and tech Email address Sign Up Thank you!
Robotics company Realbotix has long struggled to beat the allegations that its voluptuous humanoid robots are designed with prurient interests in mind.
Its $175,000 robotic companion, dubbed Aria, is platinum blonde, well-endowed, and tends to be decked out in tight-fitted sportswear at tech conventions. Yet the company insisted she’s not a sex doll, leading to plenty of incredulity online.
It’s also hard to ignore that Realbotix has an extensive X-rated past. bIts subsidiary RealDoll showed off the first-ever male sex bot back in 2022, which features robotic genitals. (Before robots, Realbotix rented out dubious “digital land” in the metaverse.)
Now, as New York Focus reports, the Salamanca City Central School District in western New York is ready to dig deep into its budget and deploy one of the company’s humanoids, dubbed Sally, in the classroom. The AI-enabled robot will reportedly serve as a teaching assistant for high school students enrolled in STEM, and arts courses.
It’s hard not to see the company’s sex robot roots in Sally’s visage. The $57,000 android has smooth silicone skin, a dazed expression on her face, and an ill-fitting wig made of long brown hair.
The district’s superintendent Mark Beehler told New York Focus that he was willing to give up banning AI in the classroom since “students will find a way around most rules that schools put in place.”
“I also believe it is critical for schools to teach proper use of technology, not simply exclude it,” he said.
Sally’s onboard AI can be used to generate lessons, provide translations in real-time in over 100 languages, and provide human teachers with guidance if a “teacher loses their place during a lesson or needs a prompt on what comes next,” according to New York Focus.
To us, that sounds like a pretty cynical take on the future of education. Teachers are already facing a major uphill battle thanks to the advent of the tech, with students suffering from declining cognitive abilities.
... continue reading