Published on 25 November 2021 09:21

The robot’s eyes blink and blink – and its pupils take on a heart shape during conversation.

SEOUL (AFP) – Seoul has started testing pint-sized robots as teaching aids in kindergartens – a pilot project that the city government says would help prepare the next generation for a future high-tech.

The “Alpha Mini” is only 24.5 centimeters tall and can dance, lead songs, recite stories and even teach kung fu moves as children mimic its push-ups and one-legged balances.

“Robots help children’s creativity,” teacher Byun Seo-yeon told AFP during a visit to the bright and bustling Maru Nursery in Seoul.

The robot’s eyes blink and blink – and its pupils take on a heart shape during conversation.

With a camera on his helmet, he takes photos that are instantly sent to a tablet for viewing.

“In the future, knowing how to manage AI and related tools will be very important,” Han Dong-seog of the Seoul government’s childcare division told AFP.

The robots are being tested at 300 nurseries and daycares in Seoul, with the government recommending the program for children aged three to five.

“We believe this experience in preschools will have a lasting effect throughout their youth and into adulthood,” Han said.

The Alpha Mini was adopted as part of a daily program for the four- to five-year-old class in Maru, with its ability to “fart” on command being a highlight during recess.

“When I tell him to sing, he sings well. I tell him to dance and we dance together,” said five-year-old Lee Ga-yoon.