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ESPN, Inc.

Producer: Scott Harves

Editors: 
Thomas Beers
Jason Sánchez

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2nd grade student  attend school with Avitar video

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2nd grade student  attend school with Avitar video

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Robot Attends School for Ill N.Y. Second-Grader

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2nd Grader can attend school with Avitar

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2nd Grader can attend school with Avitar

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Though we may all moan and groan about having to go to school each morning, the truth is that it is not all bad - I mean where else can you hang out with friends, complain about teachers and exchange carrots for cookies? Therefore, you can only imagine how Buffalo, NY resident Devon Carrow felt when he realized that he could not and may never be able to attend 'normal' school. Now, thanks to his alter ego, a 4-ft tall robot, he is able to do everything except . . . . Share his lunch.

Born with life-threatening allergies to peanuts, milk, eggs and numerous other foods, as well as, things like perfumes and fabric softeners, Devon's parents knew that there was no way the young boy would be able to survive in a normal classroom environment, especially since even breathing in an allergen could result in an anaphylactic shock. So, at the age of 5 when most kids are looking forward to going to kindergarten, Devon was confined to home schooling in complete isolation, something the whole family was resigned to doing for the rest of his life until, they heard about this incredible 'avatar'.

The 4-ft tall chrome and steel VGo robot that is fitted with a television screen and acts as a two way audio/video mobile communications system, may not be as cool looking as the one depicted by James Cameron, but it sure has opened a whole new world for Devon - One where he gets to experience school life on an day-to-day basis and interact real time, with his teachers and friends. The best part is that since the robot is mobile and has a battery life of eight hours, Devon can 'walk' to the library, chill out with his friends during breaks and lunch and even, join them on the playground.

Though life has improved immensely for the young boy since his 'Avatar' entered his life last January, things are still not easy. He has to carry his own popcorn and bring sheets to cover the seats when he goes out for movies. He cannot go out for play dates and if his friends want to come over, they have to shower and change their clothes before they are allowed to play with him. When he joins his boy scouts troupe for a camping trip, he not only carries his own food, but also, a special tent.

On the positive side, since the only foods he can safely consume are potatoes, corn and apples, he never encounters the dreaded broccoli - And, can have French fries for breakfast if he so wishes! He is also scheduled to undergo a special treatment program, which will hopefully improve his immunity so that he does not have to live such an isolated life.

While Devon is not the first kid to use this amazing robot, he is, the youngest. The first user of this VGo robot was Knox High School freshman Lyndon Baty. Diagnosed with Polycystic Kidney disease, a disorder that weakened his immune system so much, that just like Devon he was resigned to spending his life in isolation.

Fortunately, an enterprising salesman from VGo communications happened to call the school district even though he had no idea how it could be used, given that the technology had originally been developed for use in manufacturing plants to monitor production or for doctors to watch the health of elderly patients who are living independently. But the educators at Knox High School knew exactly what to do and soon Lyndon and his $6,000 USD alter ego were happily settled at school. Hopefully, as more schools and students discover the VGo, 'Avatars' strolling around hallways laughing and joking with friends, will become a common sight.

Resources: buffalonews.com,shine.yahoo.com

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2nd Grader Attends School Via An 'Avatar'

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Though we may all moan and groan about having to go to school each morning, the truth is that it is not all bad - I mean where else can you hang out with friends, complain about teachers and exchange carrots for cookies?

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For the last three years, a group of lucky 8-10 year olds have been involved in a super-exciting experiment - To see if replacing traditional pencil and paper with hi-tech interactive desks would help improve their math skills! But before we tell you the obvious results of this 'study' let's talk about the more interesting part - The desks.

A collaboration between Britain's Durham University and SynergyNet, one of eight research projects aimed at enhancing classroom learning through technology, it involved 400 students across 12 schools in North East Britain. Called NumberNet, the interactive desks were fitted with software that responded to touch-based commands enabled by vision systems that could detect infrared light. All the desks were then wired to a Smart Board, which allowed the teacher to assign math problems for the students to solve solo or as a group.

What was even cooler was that the educator could interactively assign different problems to different groups and send one group's answer to another, to see if they agreed. Even better, a smart feed provided the educator with instant feedback, which enabled him/her to assist students that were struggling with a concept, while allowing the rest of the group to continue forging ahead. And, if the entire class was struggling? He/she could simply post it on the whiteboard and explain it to them at the same time. Though the study was used exclusively for math, the desks could easily be used to teach other subjects as well.

As for the results which were published recently in the Journal of Learning and Instruction? They revealed what most of you could have predicted by simply looking at the desks - 45% of the test students improved their math skills as opposed to just 16% when the same lessons were taught using traditional methods. Another 'surprise'? The students had fun collaborating with each other and sharing their knowledge!

However, before you toss that pencil and paper do keep in mind that these desks are not about to come to your school anytime soon. That's because like anything new and cool they are currently too expensive to go mainstream and also, take a lot of time to set up. The one thing we are curious about is if the 400 lucky students were able to keep theirs as a reward for taking part in this rather'grueling' study!

Resources: redorbit.com,dur.ac.uk,gizmag.com

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Lucky British Students Get To Test Super Cool Interactive Desks!

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For the last three years, a group of lucky 8-10 year olds have been involved in a super-exciting experiment - To see if replacing traditional pencil and paper with hi-tech interactive desks would help improve their math skills! But before we tell you the obvious results of this 'study' let's talk about the more interesting part - The desks.

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At most schools 'going green' means generating less trash or making a conscientious attempt to recycle. But at New York's Riverdale Country School, it means being encouraged to run and even jump in the hallway. That's because on January 7th, 2014, the school became the first American venue for the specially designed Pavegen floor tiles.

The tiles harness kinetic energy expanded by the kids and transform it into electricity that can be used to power classroom lights, science projects and charge electronic devices. The inaugural US installation of eight tiles near the school's student center is thanks to 14-year-old Zach Halem, who managed to convince the officials to purchase them.

Besides providing fun green energy, the tiles also serve as a learning tool. Every time a student steps on one, a brightly lit LED board provides instant feedback on how much energy was generated. Depending on the force, every step results in between one to seven watts - enough power to light an LED street lamp for about 30 seconds. In addition, the amazing tiles also provide the school with data such as the volume of steps or the impact of mass movements like when students decide to stomp on the tiles together.

Made largely from rubber and other recycled materials the tiles that have been around since 2009, are the brainchild of 26-year-old British Industrial designer Laurence Kembell-Cook. While new to the US, they have been installed in numerous venues in Europe - ranging from a London Underground Station during the 2012 Olympics to a marathon track in Paris. However, it was not until PaveGen started getting popular in London schools that Laurence realized that his invention not only saved energy, but was also, fun!

Though the young inventor will not reveal too many details about the technology behind this unassuming looking green tile, he does assert that it is very different from other kinetic energy harvesting systems, most of which are based on piezoelectricity. Laurence maintains that piezoelectricity relies on high spikes, which make it difficult to to get a consistent flow of energy. His solution, which he describes as a hybrid, is similar to piezoelectricity in that when people walk on the slab, it deflects the top sheet by about 5mm or just enough for it to be converted to electricity. But what happens after that remains a mystery!

Whatever the secret, let's hope more US schools decide to install these fun tiles. In fact, why stop at schools? These durable tiles could be installed everywhere - from sidewalks to homes - Then we could all be 'green' and have fun! Who knew that was even possible?

Resources: gizmag.com,fastcoexist.com, pavegen.com,blogs.riverdale.edu

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PaveGen Tiles Makes Going Green (And School) Fun

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At most schools 'going green' means generating less trash or making a conscientious attempt to recycle. But at New York's Riverdale Country School, it means being encouraged to run and even jump in the hallway. That's because on January 7th, 2014, the school became the first American venue for the specially designed Pavegen floor tiles.

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Photo Credit: blogs.microsoft.com

With technology permeating almost every aspect of our lives, the demand for computer programmers can only increase. To train the workforce of the future, companies around the world are frantically developing computing languages to introduce children as young as seven to the mysterious world of programming both in and out of school.

Photo Credit: blogs.microsoft.com

The only drawback is that to learn or observe the results of their programming prowess, children have to be able to see. As a result, kids with limited or no vision are excluded from participating in this exciting trend. To change that, researchers at Microsoft's Cambridge, UK Lab have developed a physical programming language that can be learned by all children.

Photo Credit: blogs.microsoft.com

Project Torino allows visually impaired kids aged 7 to 11 to create code that plays music, stories, or poetry by connecting physical pods together. Once done, an accompanying app converts the physical code into digital code. The smart system covers all the major concepts and is geared to adapt to the needs of each student and set challenges based on the individual's skill. Most importantly, it provides instant feedback, enabling educators to assess his or her progress and provide assistance as needed.

Photo Credit: blogs.microsoft.com

The Microsoft team is currently tweaking the system based on the feedback received from a group of 20 visually impaired kids who have been testing Project Torino since last year. Among the changes is adding color to the previously all-white pods because it helps children with limited vision to learn better. The size of the pods is also being increased since kids working in pairs were more engaged when they could both physically hold the pods and touch hands.

Photo Credit: blogs.microsoft.com

The program will be expanded to 100 elementary school children in the UK this fall, and, once perfected, to kids across the world. While the system was created with visually impaired children in mind, Cecily Morrison, one of the researchers working on the project, hopes that it will appeal to everyone. "One of our key design principles was inclusion. We didn't want to isolate these kids again," she said. "The idea was to create something that a whole mainstream class could use, and they could use together."

Photo Credit: blogs.microsoft.com

The team's ultimate goal is to make Project Torino available to children with other challenges, such as dyslexia and autism. They believe that if successful, it can be a win-win for both - technology companies seeking skilled labor, and visually, or otherwise, challenged people looking for a lucrative professional career!

Resources: blogs.microsoft.com,surveygizmo.com

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Microsoft's Project Torino Helps Visually Impaired Children Learn To Code

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With technology permeating almost every aspect of our lives, the demand for computer programmers can only increase. To train the workforce of the future, companies around the world are frantically developing computing languages to introduce children as young as seven to the mysterious world of programming both in and out of school.

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Photo Credit: Hour of Code.com

While physics, chemistry, and biology are a norm at all schools, computer science is still a nascent subject. It is estimated that just 10 percent of American schools offer computer science, and only 19% of high school students graduate with the course under their belt. Seattle-based non-profit Code.org wants to change that by exposing every student in the world to this all important science that is the basis of the digital world we live in.

From December 7-11 millions of kids across the globe will spend at least sixty minutes learning the basics of computer science. Called Hour of Code, the initiative is designed to demystify the world of coding and inspire students of all backgrounds to consider a career in software engineering.

Photo Credit: Hour of Code.com

During the time, which can be scheduled at any time during the week, students of all ages can practice their programming skills using free tutorials created by Code.org programmers. The sessions that require no prior coding knowledge start with a brief discussion about computer science. Then begins the fun part - Coding! But if you think that means completing a tedious assignment, think again.The tutorials include fun projects like coding a Minecraft adventure, creating a Star Wars galaxy and even exploring the magic and beauty of ice with Frozen's Elsa and Anna.

It is no wonder that Hour of Code has grown into one of the biggest global learning events in just two short years. According to Code.org's founder Hadi Partovi, in 2013, the event attracted 15,000 schools, most in the USA. This year, the organization expects millions of students to participate in the over 190,000 sessions of Hour of Code events that are being planned in 180 countries around the world.

Photo Credit: Hour of Code.com

The initiative has also been adopted by corporations like Apple Inc, who will hold free coding workshops for kids on December 10. Other tech companies like Microsoft and Amazon Inc. have similar initiatives planned.

Though exposing students and educators to just an hour of coding annually may not seem like much Code.org says that impact has been profound. Since they began offering the event, over 200,000 teachers have signed up to teach Code.org's Intro to Computer Science to over 6 million enrolled students. Code.org has also trained an additional 16,000 teachers to teach computer science to all grade levels.

Photo Credit: Hour of Code.com

Code.org is not the only organization attempting to encourage more kids to pursue computer science. The Computer Clubhouse Network has opened 100 Clubhouses around the world to introduce underserved students to the amazing world of programming. Museums are also joining in the effort. Boston -basedMuseum of Science is currently hosting an exhibit called The Science Behind Pixar, that demonstrates the science and technology behind the animated worlds of movies like Toy Story, Big Hero 6 and Inside Out.

To see how you can help your school join this exciting event check out: hourofcode.com.

Resources: hourofcode.com, huffingtonpost.com,ceclidaily.com,code.org

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Hour of Code - The Largest Learning Event In History Is Almost Here!

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While physics, chemistry, and biology are a norm at all schools, computer science is still a nascent subject. It is estimated that just 10 percent of American schools offer computer science and only 19% of high school students graduate with the course under their belt.

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Just a few weeks ago, NAO, the humanoid robot made headlines when it became Mitsubishi Bank's first non-human employee. Now the cute 23-inch tall robot that weighs a mere 5.5 kilograms (12.7 pounds) is in the news again. This time around NAO is helping students develop good handwriting skills.

Originally designed by France's Aldebaran Robotics as a home companion NAO's role in education is not new. It is currently being used in computer and science classes all the way from elementary school through to university, in over 70 countries. NAO has also been very instrumental in helping kids with learning disabilities and social and emotional issues associated with disorders like autism. The NAO CoWriter, which is the brainchild of Swiss researchers at the Computer-Human Interaction in Learning and Instruction Laboratory or CHILI, adds a new dimension to this already versatile robot.

What's interesting about the NAO CoWriter is that it teaches kids while pretending to learn writing skills from them. The process begins with a student showing NAO alphabet magnets of the word they want it to write. The cute robot carefully studies the Quick Response (QR) codes assigned to each alphabet and then tries to write them on a digital tablet. The assignment is then handed to the "teacher" who makes the appropriate corrections and returns it to the robot for a redo. NAO CoWriter tries again, using the corrections to improve. The duo continues until the "teacher" is satisfied with his/her robot student's penmanship. Researchers believe that this innovative role reversal not only improves the student's handwriting skills but also helps boost his/her confidence.

Of course, while NAO appears quite the novice learner to the students who range from six to eight years in age, the activity is carefully orchestrated. At the very beginning of the "learning" process, NAO scans through the over 1,000 handwriting samples of different letters programmed in its system. It then picks one that best matches the writing of the kid it is working with. This allows the robot to closely mimic the student's handwriting. The NAO CoWriter also uses smart algorithms to align its learning pace with that displayed by the student. That's because if it masters the letters too quickly, the student will not get enough practice. On the other hand, if the robot takes too long the student might get bored of playing teacher and decide to abandon the handwriting tutoring class.

Unveiled on March 3rd at a Conference on Human-Robot Interaction (HRI), held in Portland, Oregon, the NAO CoWriter is still in the prototype stage. While the classroom trials to test the long-term effectiveness of its mathematical algorithms were successful, there is still more to be done. In the upcoming summer months, further tests will be conducted to measure the robot's success in the learning process and also to see if it is user-friendly enough to be incorporated into a daily classroom routine. If all goes well, NAO may become an even more frequent sight at schools around the world. Buckle up! School is about to get more exciting!

Resources: gizmag.com, sciencedaily.com. epfl.com

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NAO, The Humanoid Robot Helps Students Master Handwriting Skills

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Just a few weeks ago, NAO, the humanoid robot made headlines when it became Mitsubishi Bank's first non-human employee. Now the cute 23-inch tall robot that weighs a mere 5.5 kilograms (12.7 pounds) is in the news again. This time around NAO is helping students develop good handwriting skills.

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Will, the world's first digital teacher (Credit: Vector/YouTube screen capture)

While the start of a new school year is always exciting, this year was even more so for some elementary school students in Auckland, New Zealand. They became the world's first kids to be "taught" by a digital teacher. Before you start imagining a human-like robot walking around the classroom, Will is just an avatar that pops up on the student's desktop, tablet, or smartphone screen, when summoned.

A collaboration between Auckland energy company Vector and AI company Soul Machines, the autonomous animation platform has been modeled after the human brain and nervous system, allowing it to demonstrate human-like behavior. The digital teacher is currently assigned to teach Vector's "Be sustainable with energy," a free program for Auckland elementary schools. Launched in 2005, the award-winning outreach program, previously taught by humans, is designed to educate kids about energy use, and the different forms of renewable energy such as solar, wind, and geothermal.

Just like the humans it replaced, Will is able to instantly react to the students' responses to the topic. Thanks to a webcam and microphone, the avatar not only responds to questions the kids may have, but also picks up non-verbal cues. For instance, if a student smiles at Will, he responds by smiling back. This two-way interaction not only helps capture the students' attention, but also allows the program's developers to monitor their engagement, and make changes if needed.

Will teaches kids about energy sustainability (Credit: Vector/YouTube screen capture)

Vector's Chief Digital Officer, Nikhil Ravishankar, believes that Will-like avatars could be a novel way to grab the attention of the next generation. He says, "Using a digital human is a very compelling method to deliver new information to people, and I have a lot of hope in this technology as a means to deliver cost-effective, rich, educational experiences in the future." Greg Cross, the Chief Business Officer of Soul Machines, asserts that kids who have grown up in this smart device era adapt to new technology quickly, and he is eager to develop the concept of digital humans in the area of education further.

The program, in place since August 2018, has been a great success thus far. Ravishankar says, "What was fascinating to me was the reaction of the children to Will. The way they look at the world is so creative and different, and Will really captured their attention." However, regardless of how popular it becomes, Will is unlikely to replace human educators any time soon. For one, the avatar's knowledge base is severely restricted. But more importantly, even the smartest digital avatars could never anticipate and react to all the unexpected situations that educators have to deal with on a daily basis. However, it could come in handy as a "personal tutor", providing kids with one-on-one help on specific subjects or even topics.

Resources: educationcentral.co.nz, newsroom.co.nz

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Will, The World's First Digital Teacher, Debuts In New Zealand Classrooms

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While the start of a new school year is always exciting, this year was even more so for some elementary school students in Auckland, New Zealand. They became the world's first kids to be "taught" by a digital teacher.