6 schools in the world have this robot — 2 are in Crestview

Zeno-R25, an interactive, human-like social robot, will help Antioch and Bob Sikes Elementary School students learn science, technology, engineering and math.

CRESTVIEW — Meet Zeno-R25, the new kid at school. He teaches, learns, plays and one other talent: he can also dance.

Six select Okaloosa County schools, including Antioch and Bob Sikes, aren’t just the first in the area to have Zeno on campus. They’re the first anywhere.

“These are the first robots off the assembly line to be received like this, and Okaloosa has them first in the world,” Antioch Elementary School third-grade teacher and science chair Laura Pink stated in an email.

The robots were bought through a Department of Defense Education Activity grant provided to schools that demonstrated a high population of military family students.

Pink and five fellow elementary school science teachers are attending a district training session on Zeno, which, with Mr. Robot, a more traditional-looking 'bot, will soon stimulate young minds in the areas of science, technology, engineering and math.

“Most robotics companies create robots that just move and perform functions,” RoboKind stated on its website. “Our robots, however, are created to be more humanistic with unparalleled technology that produces the most lifelike robots in the world.

“RoboKind robots feature the ability to walk, talk, teach, and think while using life-like facial expressions and natural social interactions.”

Dallas-based RoboKind develops “humanoid social robots,” which students can interact with and program.

“Our advanced social robots are purpose-built for autism intervention, special education, STEM instruction and university research,” RoboKind’s website states.

Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: 6 schools in the world have this robot — 2 are in Crestview