The Salamanca City Central School District in Western New York is set to introduce a lifelike humanoid robot named Sally as an AI classroom helper this autumn. The robot, manufactured by Realbotix—a company with roots in RealDoll, a maker of ultra-realistic adult sex dolls—has sparked a 'sexy robot' backlash due to its stylized design. The district insists Sally will not replace teachers but will act as learning support for students and staff.
Landmark Moment for AI and Humanoid Robotics
At a board meeting last month, the rural Cattaraugus County district agreed to purchase the robot from Realbotix, along with an AI teacher assistant programme that lets students interact with an avatar of the robot on laptops. Realbotix CEO Andrew Kiguel called the deployment 'a landmark moment for both AI and humanoid robotics,' adding that 'Salamanca marks the beginning of a new era where humanoid robots and intelligent AI assistants become standard tools in STEM education.'
Sally is designed with a 'lifelike appearance,' including silicone skin and long brown hair. It will sit stationary but can move its upper body and pull a range of facial expressions. Critics have labelled the robot 'sexy' because Realbotix traces its roots to RealDoll, and they argue Sally’s silicone skin and stylised look resemble the firm’s companion robot designs, despite the classroom model being strictly for education.
Personalized Learning and Safety Features
Kiguel explained that pupils will log in using a unique identification code so Sally can access learning data and offer personalised support. 'They’ll be able to say, “Hey, I’m student number 1234,” and then the robot will be like, “Hey, we were talking about this yesterday, do you want to continue that conversation?”' Unlike other Realbotix robots, Sally will not use facial recognition or recording. The district said the robot will run on a closed system not connected to the internet, and Superintendent Mark Beehler said the robot is trained to say 'I don’t know' to avoid errors. Realbotix also says flagged terms such as suicide or self harm will alert administrators. In a demo, when told about bullying and revenge, the avatar replied: 'The best next step is to tell a trusted adult at school right away, like a teacher, counselor or principal, and let your parent or guardian know, too.'
Curriculum and Expansion Plans
Salamanca plans to introduce Sally and the avatar in high school AI and robotics lessons using a curriculum developed by Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, with hopes of expanding if the pilot works. Beehler said: 'Many schools are taking the easy solution of simply banning it, but I have found that students will find a way around most rules that schools put in place. I also believe it is critical for schools to teach proper use of technology, not simply exclude it.' Students will also be able to use the avatar outside class for homework help, including uploading photos for feedback and real time translations in more than 100 languages.
Cost and Community Concerns
The products cost $57,590 (£45,500), discounted from a website starting price of $95,000 (£74,900). The district serves about 1,300 students, with 32 percent identifying as American Indian or Alaska Native and 79 percent economically disadvantaged. The plan has sparked online debate, with local parent Sierra Abrams saying: 'We already have so many issues in our community, including environmental issues. I just don’t understand the concept of adding AI onto that.'
