In 2020, a group of instructors at the Military Technical Academy designed Bonbon, an intelligent humanoid robot that can teach English, communication, singing, and dancing to elementary school students. The robot stands 1.27m tall and weighs 40kg. This project was part of a research topic under the National Key Science and Technology Program until 2025 and was proposed by the Military Technical Academy. The Ministry of Science and Technology approved the topic for implementation, and it was granted a Useful Solution Patent by the Intellectual Property Office in October 2023.
Dr. Le Dinh Son, the project leader, expressed his satisfaction with the success of the project. He stated that Bonbon showcases the mastery of robot design techniques and technology by domestic scientists. The team behind Bonbon developed fundamental software technology, solved artificial intelligence problems in sound, image, and natural language processing, and created a robot that could interact with humans through various means such as speech, eye expressions, and physical gestures.
The project began with nearly 20 lecturers from the Military Technical Academy working on different aspects such as information technology, control, and mechanics. The main goal was to create a robot with a friendly human-like appearance suitable for elementary school children. Bonbon features a mobile module with multi-directional wheels for movement and can perform various teaching activities like presenting content, teaching vocabulary
