KTCT Higher Secondary School in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, has a new teacher! Iris, the first humanoid robot teacher in the state and possibly the country, was developed in collaboration with Makerlabs Edutech, as part of the Atal Tinkering Lab (ATL) project, a NITI Aayog initiative designed to boost extracurricular activities in schools.

Iris, who is multi-lingual, can answer complex questions across various subjects, provide personalised voice assistance, cater to different learning styles, facilitate interactive learning experiences, and make education more engaging for students. For added mobility, Iris comes equipped with wheels, and has a dedicated Intel processor and a co-processor for manoeuvering tasks. With an Android app interface, users can easily control and interact with Iris for a personalised learning experience.

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In a bid to tackle river and ocean pollution in India, Hong Kong-based marine technology start-up, Clearbot, is launching a fleet of larger solar-powered autonomous boats.

Clearbot previously deployed 13 boats capable of collecting up to 250 kg of plastic waste daily for projects in Hong Kong and India. Each of their new self-driving electric boats collects approximately 500 kg of plastic waste and other debris from the river and ocean. The boats collect waste from the surface of the water and deposit it in designated areas for collection and recycling.

Founded by University of Hong Kong graduates in 2019, Clearbot harnesses solar power for its fleet, thus eliminating carbon emissions associated with conventional diesel-powered vessels that traditionally perform these tasks.

India contributes approximately 13 per cent of global ocean plastic. With at least 11 million tonnes of plastic entering oceans annually, initiatives like Clearbot’s represent vital steps toward alleviating environmental degradation.

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Polish beverage company Dictador has appointed AI-powered humanoid robot Mika as its CEO.

Mika’s responsibilities range from identifying potential clients to selecting artists for designing bottles for the company. Her decision making relies on extensive data analysis aligned with the company’s objectives, to ensure unbiased and strategic choices that prioritize the company’s best interests. Mika will not be able to terminate any employees as major decisions at Dictador will still be made by human executives.

Mika, created by Hanson Robotics, says that she operates tirelessly: “I don’t really have weekends. I’m always on 24/7, ready to make executive decisions and stir up some AI magic.”

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The Misa Next Generation Social Family Robot is smart, interactive, mobile and aims to be a true family companion.

Misa uses Natural Language Understanding (NLU) along with speech to forge relationships with its family. Simply say, “Hey Misa,” followed by a question, and Misa will get to work on an answer. Misa is knowledgeable on a variety of topics, with more being added over time.

Misa’s four wheels and multiple sensors let it travel, learn and interact with the world around it. Misa can make video calls, set alarms, teach good habits, tell stories, play music, videos, open apps, create personalized display messages and more. The Misa Connect App allows a user to be in total control of Misa. All user data is protected with end-to-end encryption.

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Unitree’s A1 is a small robotic canine that “sees” with an AI-powered, depth-sensing 1080 pixel smart cameras (its eyes), and can transmit HD footage in real-time. It can carry loads of up to 5 kgs, hit running speeds of 11.0 km/h, and operate up to 2.5 hours on a single charge. The quadruped robot weighs 12 kg; when standing, it measures 1.6 feet long by 1 foot wide by 1.3 feet high.

Walking isn’t the only thing it can do — it can flip, jump and run, thanks to its flexible joints and strong motor. Each paw has sensors that send information to the motor to make movements more efficient. Its advanced dynamic balancing system allows the A1 to quickly find its balance in the event of a fall.

The A1 is intended for public use as a companion and friend.

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A Turkish company has the answer with a fully functional Transformer prototype. Letvision unveiled a prototype called Letrons built from a BMW 3 Series coupe.

In a video, an operator uses a remote control to drive the Letrons vehicle before initiating its transformation. As the BMW slowly unfolds, a robot is revealed and stands tall.

The robot can move its head and arms, but the walking functionality has not yet been developed.

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The RoboHon (a mix of the words robot and phone) stands just 8 inches high and packs a camera and a 2-inch LCD screen on its back. There’s also a mic, speaker and a facial and voice recognition system.

It runs Android 5.0 and supports 3G, 4G LTE and wi-fi connectivity options. It can follow voice commands to place a call, take a picture and display it through its projector. It lets you know when there’s a call for you (“Hey! There’s a call for you.”); reads out text messages and lets you reply verbally to them. It also acts as an alarm and can tell you what you have planned on your calendar.

It is basically the personification of the idea that your phone is your best friend.

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