Chinese Humanoid Robot 'Xiao An' Delivers Science Lesson at Elementary School in World-First Trial
- MM24 News Desk
- Nov 1
- 3 min read
AnyWit Robotics deployed "Xiao An", a 1.4-meter-tall humanoid robot, as a teaching assistant in a science class at Primary School Affiliated to Hefei Normal School in East China's Anhui Province on Monday. The world's first classroom-scenario AI education robot emotionally engaged with students while teaching about sound and musical instruments, according to the Hefei city government.
A humanoid robot has delivered a trial lecture at a science class at a primary school in Hefei, East China's Anhui Province, marking a key milestone in bringing a locally developed AI education application from the laboratory to the classroom, according to the official WeChat account of the Hefei city government on Tuesday, reported Global Times.
On Monday, the science class at the Primary School Affiliated to Hefei Normal School was about "Designing our instruments," and was delivered by "Xiao An", a 1.4-meter-tall humanoid robot serving as a teaching assistant. In seamless cooperation with the teacher at the class, it helped lead the children in exploring the mysteries of sound.
The humanoid robot possesses the guiding ability of a professional science teacher and can gradually inspire students to engage in deeper learning, Hu Xingyong, a science teacher at the Primary School Affiliated to Hefei Normal School, who assisted the class with "Xiao An", told Global Times on Tuesday.
A novel feature of the robot is its ability to emotionally engage with students and coordinate gestures and movements, Hu Xingyong said.
When the humanoid robot is brought into the classroom, students immediately become interested. For example, in a lesson where we design small musical instruments, the humanoid robot mimics the sounds and motions of various instruments before class. The students got curious and were encouraged to guess what kind of instrument it is and what its characteristics are, and their creative interest was sparked, teacher Hu explained.
When the robot receives a student's question it can provide reflective, thought-provoking responses, Hu added.
This science-education robot, "Xiao An", is the world's first of its kind to enter classroom scenario in this way and it was given a persona to be guiding, Hu Likang, deputy general manager of Hefei-based AnyWit Robotics, the producer of the humanoid robot, told Global Times on Tuesday.
AnyWit Robotics, based in Hefei, developed the robot specifically for educational applications. Unlike industrial humanoid robots designed for manufacturing or service robots built for hospitality, "Xiao An" was engineered with pedagogical capabilities and emotional intelligence suited for classroom environments.
The robot's ability to coordinate gestures with speech and respond to student questions with thought-provoking answers rather than simple factual responses represents a significant advancement in educational AI. Traditional educational technology typically provides information delivery without the nuanced interaction that effective teaching requires.
"The Monday class is the first public trial involving teachers and students," Hu Likang said. "In the future, we will continue to improve the robot teacher's stability and expand its functions, and we are also considering extending it to other academic subjects."
The trial raises interesting questions about the future role of AI in education. "Xiao An" currently functions as a teaching assistant rather than a replacement for human educators, working alongside teacher Hu Xingyong to enhance the learning experience. This collaborative model could represent a practical path forward as educational institutions explore integrating AI technologies.
The science lesson focusing on sound and musical instrument design provided an ideal testing ground for the robot's capabilities. The subject matter allowed "Xiao An" to demonstrate physical movements mimicking different instruments while explaining acoustic principles, engaging multiple learning modalities simultaneously.
Whether this technology can scale beyond pilot programs to widespread classroom deployment depends on numerous factors including cost, reliability, pedagogical effectiveness, and teacher acceptance. But AnyWit Robotics' successful demonstration in a real classroom with actual students represents progress beyond laboratory prototypes.
The Hefei city government's promotion of this trial suggests local authorities view educational robotics as a strategic development priority. Hefei has positioned itself as a hub for robotics and AI research in recent years, with both established companies and startups developing various autonomous systems.
For now, "Xiao An" remains an experimental teaching assistant whose true educational value will emerge through continued classroom trials and student outcome assessments. But the enthusiastic student response during Monday's lesson suggests that young learners may adapt to robot teachers more readily than skeptics might expect.
Comments