The humanoid robot NAO (version 6), developed by SoftBank Robotics, is the latest generation of one of the most advanced and versatile educational and research robots on the market. At around 58 centimetres tall, NAO is an impressive example of robotics technology aimed at facilitating and enriching interactions between humans and machines. NAO is the best-selling humanoid robot in the world, with a broad community, including in the education sector.
NAO has a wider range of movements and interactions. The robot has an advanced sensor system that includes auditory and visual perception, enabling it to recognise people and objects in its environment and react accordingly. Thanks to integrated cameras and a microphone system, NAO can recognise faces, understand voice commands and even react to people's emotional states.
Using NAO in the classroom
Information for teachers and interested parties
The Communications Laboratory has two NAO robots (version 6).
Existing applications can be used (see Use Cases) or new applications can be developed in consultation with your contact person. The following are possible applications:
NAO as moderator:
The NAO robot is best used as a moderator. The system is well suited to explaining exercises and procedures while you as the teacher can concentrate on individual questions or on preparing the exercise. NAO can also take over the timekeeping during the exercise, explain partial steps or initiate the end of the exercise.
NAO as an interaction partner:
The humanoid can also be used for direct interaction. This is particularly useful when the number of students is low or the robot is divided into groups. Its head and foot sensors allow people to interact with the robot. NAO can also respond to NAOMarks (QR codes for the robot), for example. An example application here is rock-paper-scissors, in which NAO interacts directly with a single person and plays the game.
Application components:
Some components of programmes for NAO are presented below. If you want to develop a new programme, you can string these components together to create a finished application.
- ‘say’ instructions: NAO can pronounce texts (e.g. instructions for the exercise sequence), the speed can be influenced in the process
- Animations: NAO has a library of ready-made animations. The laboratory team can transfer many human poses to the robot and thus create animations which, for example, make NAO wave or the robot sit down, etc.
- Computational operations: Examples of this would be dividing students into groups of equal size, timing or counting certain sequences
- NAOMarks: the in-house QR codes for NAO can be linked to any information. By holding up the mark, NAO scans it and performs the corresponding actions.
- ChatGPT link: NAO can be linked to ChatGPT and send questions/instructions to OpenAI and play back the generated answer.
For further possibilities, please contact us.
