Shiksha, a humanoid robot that teaches primary students | Fusion - WeRIndia

In Sirsi, Karnataka, a tech enthusiast named Akshay Mashelkar has created a humanoid robot called Shiksha. It can educate children up to the fourth grade, as per an official statement.

Akshay Mashelkar, who holds a post-graduate degree in physics, developed the model intending to introduce more technological concepts into the learning process.

The inspiration for Shiksha struck him during the COVID-induced lockdown when students were heavily reliant on mobile phones and computers for online lessons.

To bring his vision to life, Mashelkar invested nearly ₹2 lakhs from his personal savings in the construction of the robot.

Building just a robotic arm typically costs around ₹50,000, but Shiksha encompasses various features, enabling him to reduce costs through resourcefulness.

For instance, he used plastic cricket stumps from toy shops instead of mould for the robot’s body.

Shiksha is capable of teaching a wide range of subjects, including rhymes in Kannada and English, days of the week, shape names, English alphabets etc.

In addition, it also can teach fundamental math topics such as multiplication, addition, and tables.

The robot operates with two main cards, a master card to unlock it and a regular card to initiate the desired program.

To start Shiksha, the teacher places the master card on its hand, followed by using program cards for different lessons. The robot engages in questioning, reciting poems, and even offers trivia options.

Shiksha has been used in more than 25 schools in the Uttar Kannada district. It is presently designed to cater to the fourth grade and has curricular adaptability across different education boards.

While the initial development of Shiksha incurred substantial expenses, Akshay believes he can further reduce the cost.

With grants and support from the government and NGOs, he aims to bring down the price to ₹35,000, making it more accessible for rural schools.

By addressing errors and streamlining the research and development process, he anticipates a significant decrease in future production costs.

Akshay Mashelkar’s innovative creation, Shiksha, not only introduces technology into the classroom but also offers an engaging and interactive learning experience for young students.

Through his determination and vision, he envisions a future where affordable robotic education solutions revolutionize the way children learn and acquire knowledge.

Image Credit: Travelarz, CC BY-SA 3.0 PL, via Wikimedia Commons

Image Reference: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Humanoid_Robot_%281%29_ITB_2017.JPG