UBC Launches Innovative Pilot with Robot Ambassadors for Students

The University of British Columbia (UBC) has introduced a pioneering pilot project featuring robotic ambassadors. This initiative coincides with the arrival of hundreds of new students on campus, marking a unique approach to enhancing the university experience. On September 3, 2023, UBC announced the deployment of three Kiwibot robots, named Grey, Kelly, and Robson, at the Vancouver bookstore.

These robotic ambassadors began their duties on September 2, 2023, and will be active for a period of four weeks. Their primary roles include answering student inquiries and distributing welcome treats. Students can interact with the robots simply by pushing a button on their lids and speaking directly to them. As the project progresses, UBC indicates that the robots will adapt and refine their tasks, learning from interactions over time.

Understanding the Technology Behind the Robots

The Kiwibots are equipped with advanced navigation capabilities, utilizing sensors to detect movement and obstacles on campus. They are designed to capture and analyze human interactions through integrated cameras. Notably, the robots do not “see” in a conventional manner; the images they capture do not include recognizable human features and are not recorded. These robots are manufactured by Kiwibot, a robotics company based in San Francisco, California, and are approximately the size of a minifridge.

The project is powered through the Rogers 5G testbed, as explained by Raymond Chau, program manager for the Rogers UBC Collaborative Research and Innovation Partnership. Chau emphasized that the initiative aims to study student interactions with the robots, building a dataset on human-robot interaction, emotion recognition, and real-time artificial intelligence learning. This data may pave the way for future collaborations in the industry.

The Educational Journey of the Robots

Before they could serve students, Grey, Kelly, and Robson underwent an educational process to familiarize themselves with the UBC environment. This training took approximately two weeks, ensuring the robots could effectively perform their functions. Chau remarked, “In a way, the robots are also students because they needed to be ‘educated’ about UBC.”

This innovative pilot project positions UBC at the forefront of integrating technology into the educational landscape. By deploying robotic ambassadors, the university seeks to enhance the student experience while gathering valuable insights into the evolving dynamics of human-robot interaction. The outcome of this initiative could inform future applications of robotics in educational settings and beyond.