Conozca a Sally, robot humanoide que enseñará IA en una escuela de Nueva York

A humanoid robot named Sally is set to begin teaching artificial intelligence and robotics at Salamanca High School on the Allegany Indian Reservation in New York this autumn. The initiative marks the first time in the United States that a humanoid robot will take part in classroom instruction. According to Andrew Kiguel, CEO of Realbotix, the startup responsible for developing Sally, the robot features a lifelike appearance, including silicone skin and long brown hair. It will be used primarily in the school's specialized AI and robotics course, though its role may expand depending on the outcome of the pilot program. The Cattaraugus County school district approved the acquisition of Sally and an accompanying AI teacher's assistant program during a recent board meeting. Under the agreement, students will be able to interact with an avatar of Sally through their laptops. The robot itself will remain stationary but will demonstrate a wide range of upper-body movements and facial expressions. Students will identify themselves using their unique student IDs before engaging with Sally, who will provide personalized learning support based on stored data about each student's progress. Kiguel explained that Sally will be programmed with a western New York accent, mirroring the speech patterns of Governor Kathy Hochul, at the request of the school district. Over the past several months, Realbotix has focused on implementing safeguards to ensure student safety. Both Sally and her digital counterpart have been trained on the district's curriculum and are designed to steer conversations back toward educational content. Any references to suicide, self-harm, or other sensitive topics will trigger alerts to school administrators. During a demonstration for New York Focus, Kiguel tested the avatar's response to a scenario involving bullying. When asked how to deal with being targeted at school, the avatar offered supportive advice, encouraging the user to speak with a trusted adult and seek help from family members. The robot will assist both students and teachers in classes that follow the Woz Ed Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics curriculum, created by Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple. After school hours, students will still have access to the avatar for assistance with assignments, including uploading photos of homework for feedback or receiving real-time translations in over 100 languages. Sally will also function as a classroom resource. Teachers can consult the robot for guidance if they lose their place during a lesson or need prompts on what to teach next. The robot has been preloaded with the district's entire curriculum. According to the contract published by the school board, Sally will cost the district $57,590—less than the average teacher's salary in New York. Parents and some residents of Salamanca have raised concerns about the integration of Sally into the school system. In response, the school district issued an official statement emphasizing that the robot will never replace human teachers. Salamanca High School currently serves around 1,400 students, with over 32% of them identifying as American Indian, according to state education records. The district has committed to addressing these concerns while ensuring the technology enhances rather than diminishes the educational experience for students. The implementation of Sally represents a significant shift in how technology is integrated into education. As the pilot program progresses, the effectiveness of the robot in supporting both students and educators will be closely monitored. The potential expansion of Sally's role beyond the AI and robotics course depends largely on the outcomes observed during the initial phase of deployment. The project highlights ongoing efforts to incorporate advanced technologies into traditional educational settings, aiming to provide innovative solutions for modern learning environments.