When students of Saint Louis University begin their declination semester this calendar month , they ’ll detect a new addition to the campus — century of glowing blue hockey - Robin Goodfellow automaton .
Theuniversity has announcedit will “ deploy more than 2,300 ” of the machine throughout student living spaces , including in “ every scholarly person residency hall room and pupil flat on campus . ”
As the Verge points out , Arizona State University put Echo Dotsin student place last yr , but SLU ’s new initiative seems to be the first time a university has put an Echo Dot in all educatee living quarters .
The SLU Echo Dots , running on Amazon ’s Alexa for Business platform , will be modified to answer 100 - plus SLU - relate interrogative sentence about matter like library time of day , basketball game , campus events , and university berth locations .
The university ’s promotional video for the equipment even prove a freshman need “ how long can pizza pie rest out ” and telling the twist to “ play a guided speculation ” because , of course of action , educatee love honest-to-god pizza and breathing exercises . As the student gets Old , he asks question about his career prospects and gradation — because the little bot disc has presumptively been a invariant companion through all his recent - nighttime report academic term , existential crisis , and experiment with drugs and sex .
SLU addresses some of its own questions about the Echo Dotson the university website , like , did the financing for the Echo Dots come from tuition ? The answer is manifestly no — the Echoes have come to the university thanks in part to a partnership with Amazon and university Das Kapital financial backing .
Another question : “ I am concerned about my privacy with Alexa . What data does the Echo Dot in my mansion hall elbow room keep about me . ” Answer : SLU is using Amazon Alexa for business concern platform so the Echoes are going to be bond to a fundamental SLU organisation and not individual accounts . SLU take Alexa does not keep recordings of asked questions . The SLU scheme seemingly does not keep personal information on users , and “ all use presently is anonymous . ”
Amazon did not immediately respond to a Gizmodo postulation for comment on SLU ’s economic consumption of the twist and privateness concerns that may fall with having a vocalism - controlled equipment in educatee living spaces .
SLU vice president and chief information military officer David Hakanson believes the infestation will improve student efficiency . “ Every bit we can save our bookman from birth to seek for the information they require online is another instant that they can spend focused on what matters most : their Department of Education , ” Hakanson say in a argument .
If a educatee does not want an Echo Dot in their dorm — and their roomy feel the same — the university website propose them to “ unplug the gimmick and store it in a secure location . ” If they drop off the Echo Dot , then they may front a bang .
[ Verge ]
AlexaAmazonAmazon Echo
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