Finnish schools employ robo-teachers that can speak multiple languages

Elias, the new language teacher at a Finnish primary school, has endless patience for repetition, never makes a pupil feel embarrassed for asking a question and can even do the'Gangnam Style' dance. Elias is also a robot. The language-teaching machine comprises a humanoid robot and mobile application, one of four robots in a pilot programme at primary schools in the southern city of Tampere. Pictured is Elias, a robot teaching children in a Finnish school. The robot is able to understand and speak 23 languages and is equipped with software that allows it to understand students' requirements and helps it to encourage learning.