Saudi students invent robot that speaks Arabic

Two Saudi students at Sharjah University have developed an Arabic-speaking robot to promote the language.
Noura bint Mohammed Al-Hasan and Bashair Mubarak made the half-a-meter tall robot called Humood with 25 different actions, mimicking human movement. They made it for a robot innovation contest.
Al-Hasan told Arab News they made the robot using various software, cameras and speakers. The robot is able to respond to human commands.
Mubarak said he learned many diverse skills by developing the program for the robot. He said the machine has phone numbers and information about professors and students, and knows how to welcome guests.
He said they want to develop other robots that hospitals can use to treat adult and child patients.
Saleh bin Hamad Al-Suhaibani, the Saudi cultural attaché in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), said the duo made the country proud. He said several top officials support the students including Khaled Al-Anqari, the minister of higher education; Ahmed Saif, deputy minister of higher education; and Ibrahim Saad Al-Ibrahim, Saudi ambassador in the UAE.