Germany- on 17th January, Joshua Martinangel fell ill. However, the avatar robot was sent to school in his place. Through Robot, he can interact with teachers and classmates. Headmistress at the Puteblume Grunschule in Berlin told Reuters, ‘’ the children talk to him, laugh with him and sometimes even chitchat with him during the lesson. Joshi can do that quite well, too.’’
Joshua mother explains that his son cannot attend school for having a severe lung disease. He had to wear a tube on his neck. This project is privately paid in the Berlin District Marzahn Hellerdorf.
District Education Councilor Torsten Kuehne said, ‘’ we are the only district in Berlin that has brought four avatars for its schools. The impetus was COVID-19, but I think this will be the future well beyond pandemic.’’
What is AVI and how does it Work?
The Robot called AVI is made by Child’s eyes, ears and voice in the classroom. It’s a school robot that ensures children with long-term illnesses do not miss a single hour. It is placed on a desk in the classroom. It has a built-in camera, speaker and microphone. This helps the student to see what is happening in the classroom. Moreover, the teacher gets a sign when the boy wants to say something. There is a blinking white light on the Avatar’s head.
According to the company, more than 1500 students actively use AV1 in Europe. It’s completely secure with end–to–end encryption. Meanwhile, only one student can use the Robot at a time. Additionally, one cannot take screenshots in the application.
No Isolation Company initiative
The Robot is made by Norway’s No Isolation company. The company aims at reducing isolation and loneliness. It’s a great communication tool for children to connect with fellows and teachers.
According to the firm, Sometimes children cannot go to school for some reason. During those days, the avatar can help them to remain part of the school and community. Likewise, classmates can reach out to their fellow mates who cannot attend school.
Joshua talks about his experience with Avatar Robot said,
‘’I would love to go to school and this helps me to see my class again. It can raise attention and then it can talk when I raise attention. ‘’
Similarly, one of the users of AV1 shared his experience with the firm and said, ‘’ the robot means that despite the corona and long-term absence due to a back operation, I can realistically complete upper secondary school with good results.’’