OVObots

AI Robots Oy, operating under the trademark OVObots, is a Finnish educational technology company founded in 2016. The company focuses on the development of voice-controlled social robots and accompanying software designed to assist in early childhood education. The Co-Founder and CEO is Jussi Wright, a design technologist and social robots developer with a background in product development, who brings a user experience-focused approach to the company's offerings. Another founder, Juha-Matti Ristiharju, has a background in education sciences and marketing from the University of Lapland, coupled with a career as a professional magician and comedian, which informs the engaging and entertaining aspects of the product.

The company's core product is the OVObot Teacher, a physical robot that interacts with children through a voice-user interface to facilitate learning. This educational tool is designed for children aged 5-12, targeting kindergartens, preschools, and the first and second grades of elementary school. The platform delivers exercises in subjects such as mathematics, concepts, time, and language learning. It functions by asking questions and processing spoken answers, adapting the difficulty level to the child's individual progress. In addition to the physical robot, the OVObot platform is accessible as a web application on phones, tablets, and computers, ensuring wider accessibility. A key feature is the ability for teachers to monitor student progress and assign specific tasks through a control panel.

AI Robots Oy's business model appears to be centered on selling licenses for its software, bundled with the physical robots. Pricing is structured around license duration, with options for two-year licenses that include either a small or large robot. The company also offers shorter-term licenses. The stated mission is to create a fun and effective way for children to learn, with a vision of building a globally recognized early childhood learning solution. Furthermore, the company aims to develop methods that can help in the early detection of learning difficulties and patterns of abnormal behavior. The company has received backing from investors including xEdu Accelerator and LocalTapiola.

Keywords: educational robotics, edtech, voice-controlled learning, social robots, early childhood education, learning applications, AI in education, speech recognition learning, personalized learning, Finnish education technology, Jussi Wright, Juha-Matti Ristiharju, OVObot Teacher, learning assistant, math exercises for kids, language learning robot, interactive learning, educational hardware, classroom technology, student progress tracking