The World Humanoid Robot Games kicks off in China as 280 teams from 16 countries compete in events such as football, track and field and table tennis.<\/p>\n
But as news spread in the small community located on the Seneca Nation of Indians reservation, parents and teachers worried about how students’ personal information would be used.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Unionised teachers aimed at Realbotix’s sex doll sister company, Realdoll, even as district officials and the company itself stressed the two manufacturers operate independently.<\/p>\n
“A robot built by a company associated with sex dolls has no business in our classrooms,” Melinda Person, president of the union New York State United Teachers, said.<\/p>\n
For now, the robot pilot remains on hold as the district works through “enhanced student data privacy agreements” with the state education officials and continues outreach to the community, according to a statement the district posted on its Facebook page.<\/p>\n
Concerns about robot’s role<\/p>\n
New York State Education Commissioner Betty Rosa said she remained concerned about the robot’s role in the classroom even after her staff met with district officials.<\/p>\n
“Although you confirmed that the robot would not have any role delivering classroom instruction, a recent presentation to the board characterised the robot as a ‘tutoring platform,” Ms Rosa wrote in a letter to the district.<\/p>\n
Chinese humanoid robot beats human half-marathon world record<\/a><\/p>\n The winner from a Chinese smartphone maker reportedly completed the 21-kilometre race in 50 minutes and 26 seconds.<\/p>\n She also echoed residents’ concerns about what data privacy and security protections would be in place.<\/p>\n Unionised teachers suggested the effort was a first step toward replacing flesh-and-bone educators.\u00a0<\/p>\n “Sally” will be able to move its arms and hands but has non-working legs.<\/p>\n “Our students don’t need robots,” Ms Person said.\u00a0<\/p>\n “They need real relationships with caring adults.”District officials defend robot purchase<\/p>\n School superintendent Mark Beehler said the pilot, which also includes rollout of a virtual, AI-powered teacher’s assistant and an at-home tutoring program, is not about replacing staff.<\/p>\n “There is no possible way a robot can replace a human in a school,” he said.<\/p>\n “Even if it were possible, it would in no way be in the best interest of students.\u00a0<\/p>\n “Teaching is a human-to-human process.”<\/p>\n Mr Beehler, who was connected to Realbotix through a former colleague, said the Las Vegas-based company was a natural fit because its robots were already programmed with WozEd, a curriculum from Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak that the district uses.<\/p>\n Salamanca schools has posted “Sally” will not be collecting students’ personal information. (X: Salamanca CCSD)<\/p>\n Last year, a San Diego charter school rolled out two AI-powered robots purchased from Engineered Arts, a robotics company based in the United Kingdom, for $US500,000.<\/p>\n Salamanca Schools, in social media posts, stressed that “Sally” would not be collecting students’ personal information, recording audio or video of its interactions or sending data back to Realbotix.<\/p>\n The robot also has been programmed to steer clear of inappropriate topics such as sex, violence and gambling, and it will not be able to search the public internet or draw answers from unvetted generative AI services, according to the school district’s social media post.<\/p>\n Instead, all information on “Sally” will be stored locally, with the life-sized robot consuming roughly the same amount of energy as a laptop, according to the district.<\/p>\n Robot maker responds to criticism<\/p>\n Realbotix said that student authentication would be handled through the district’s existing systems, and any student-linked information would remain encrypted and under the district’s control.<\/p>\n The company also pushed back at suggestions that “Sally” was simply a repurposed sex doll, saying it was a “newly manufactured, purpose-built educational unit” with no modified hardware.<\/p>\n![\"An](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/d0cd5ca6dba374db7f5b34f8d6e4b7d5.jpeg\")
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