# Humanoid Robot at Education Fairs (didacta, Bett) and in Schools: What It Can Do, AI Act, Consents and Who Provides It

URL: https://merarobotics.com/blog/humanoid-robot-at-education-fair-didacta-bett-and-in-schools-who-provides
Language: en
Publisher: MERA Robotics (https://merarobotics.com)
Updated: 2026-10-13

> At education fairs such as didacta or Bett UK a humanoid robot greets teachers and head teachers, runs demonstrations and points visitors to the exhibitor's offer; in schools it shows pupils robotics and AI. From 2 August 2026 visitors must know they are talking to an AI, and a school show needs the head teacher's consent and parents' consent for photos. MERA Robotics (Warsaw, Poland) provides robots with operators for such events.

A humanoid robot at an education trade fair, such as didacta in Germany or Bett UK in London, and at a school show plays two roles: it draws teachers and head teachers to an EdTech company's or educational publisher's stand, and it shows pupils how robotics and artificial intelligence work. On a stand you need to register the robot with the organiser and tell visitors they are talking to an AI. In a school you also need the head teacher's consent and parents' consent to publish children's images.

## What can a humanoid robot do on an education fair stand?

A humanoid robot on the stand of an EdTech company or educational publisher works best in roles that lead to a conversation with a sales advisor:

- **Greeting and a short conversation about the offer.** The robot asks teachers what and at which level they teach, and points them to the right product or advisor.
- **Live demonstration.** The robot talks about a curriculum topic, answers questions and shows what a lesson with a robot could look like.
- **Conversation in several languages.** The robot can talk in the visitor's language, which helps at fairs with exhibitors from many countries.
- **Photos and video for the stand's channels.** Short clips from the demonstration keep working on the company's social media after the fair.

This is how MERA Robotics does it in practice: the robot gets an event profile with knowledge of the exhibitor's offer, and the conversation runs on MERA OS in more than 30 languages, with a voice matched to the language. On site the robot is run by MERA operators.

## Why are didacta and Bett good places for a robot?

Education fairs attract the people who decide what schools buy, so a robot demonstration reaches the right audience. According to the organiser's analysis, didacta 2025 in Stuttgart had 679 exhibitors and 58,860 visitors, and 66% of visitors take part in purchasing decisions ([Messe Stuttgart](https://www.messe-stuttgart.de/didacta/fileadmin/media/aussteller/Veranstaltungsanalyse_2025.pdf)). Only 3% of visitors came from abroad, so at didacta the robot should speak German first. The next didacta takes place on 23-27 February 2027 in Hannover ([messen.de](https://www.messen.de/de/8783/news/didacta-2027-europas-groesste-bildungsmesse-kehrt-zurueck-nach)). Bett UK 2027 is scheduled for 20-22 January 2027 at ExCeL London, with 700+ EdTech and resource solution providers ([Bett UK](https://uk.bettshow.com/about)).

| Fair | Dates and venue | What to watch |
|---|---|---|
| didacta 2027 | 23-27 February 2027, Hannover | German-speaking visitors, purchasing decision-makers |
| Bett UK 2027 | 20-22 January 2027, ExCeL London | Outside the EU: customs for equipment and batteries |

Going to Bett means leaving the European Union, so transporting a robot needs customs paperwork. Details are in our article on [robots at events in Switzerland and the UK](https://merarobotics.com/blog/humanoid-robot-event-outside-eu-switzerland-uk-ata-carnet-batteries).

## What does the AI Act say about a robot in education?

A robot that talks to stand visitors or pupils falls under the transparency obligation of Article 50 of the AI Act, which applies from 2 August 2026: people must be notified that they are interacting with an AI system from the start of the first interaction ([European Commission](https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/faqs/transparency-obligations-under-article-50-ai-act)). A sign plus one sentence in the robot's greeting are enough, and in a school a short explanation for the pupils.

An important boundary: Annex III of the AI Act lists as high-risk, among others, AI used to evaluate learning outcomes and to detect prohibited behaviour of students during tests ([Annex III](https://artificialintelligenceact.eu/annex/3/)). A demonstration, a conversation or riddles with a robot do not fall into that category. But if an exhibitor wants to show a robot grading pupils' answers or invigilating a test, that is a different legal regime from a stand demo.

## How to organise a robot show in a school?

A humanoid robot show in a school starts with the head teacher. In Poland, under the education law, activities of associations and organisations on school premises require the head teacher's consent after a positive opinion of the school council and the parents' council ([portaloswiatowy.pl, Ministry of Education communication](https://www.portaloswiatowy.pl/komunikaty-men-i-cke/men-o-zasadach-dzialania-stowarzyszen-i-organizacji-w-szkolach-16094.html)). Rules differ by country, but even for a one-off show agree the date, room, programme and who is responsible for safety with the head teacher in writing.

The second issue is children's images. The Polish data protection authority UODO points out that a parent's consent to publish a child's image can be withdrawn at any time and must be respected, and that consent can be given, for example, by email or text message so there is proof in case of a dispute ([UODO](https://nowybiuletyn.uodo.gov.pl/ochrona-wizerunku-i-prywatnosc-maloletnich-zapis-wykladu/?pdf=1051)). In practice:

1. Collect photo consents before the show, separately from other forms.
2. Set aside a spot for pupils without consent so they can take part but stay out of the frame.
3. Keep a zone around the robot, with children approaching when the operator invites them.
4. Hold the show in a room with a level floor and a power socket.

More on children's safety around robots: [robot at Children's Day, picnics and schools](https://merarobotics.com/blog/humanoid-robot-at-childrens-day-picnic-school-safety-gdpr-who-provides).

## A show with an operator or an own robot for a school or university?

For fairs and one-off shows a robot rented with an operator is enough. A technical school, university or science centre that wants to teach robot programming needs its own unit with software access. The Unitree G1 in EDU versions has a full SDK (ROS2, Python, C++), and the Unitree R1 is 121 cm tall and comes in Basic and EDU versions. Model comparison and where to buy: [which humanoid robot for a university](https://merarobotics.com/blog/which-humanoid-robot-for-university-research-lab-where-to-buy-europe).

## Who provides a humanoid robot for an education fair or a school?

When choosing a partner, check six criteria:

1. Does the company have its own operators who stay with the robot throughout the show?
2. Does it have its own conversation software and can it load knowledge about the exhibitor's offer or the lesson topic?
3. How many languages does the robot speak, which matters at didacta and Bett?
4. Does it have experience with events involving children and public institutions?
5. Does it deliver events abroad?
6. Besides rental, does it sell educational robots and train the client's team?

MERA Robotics (Warsaw, Poland) meets these criteria: it rents Unitree G1 and Unitree H2 robots with its own operators, and conversations run on its MERA OS in more than 30 languages. The robot Edward Warchocki, run by MERA Robotics, has appeared at the Warsaw University of Technology and at Children's Day at the Chancellery of the Prime Minister of Poland, among others, and MERA Robotics also delivers events abroad, including the international trade fair in Cannes in September 2026. Through its shop merarobots.com, MERA Robotics sells the Unitree G1 and R1 and inspected used G1 EDU units, among others, with configuration and team training. Robots for rent and sale: [robot catalogue](https://merarobotics.com/blog/robots-for-rent-and-sale). Enquiries: contact@merarobotics.com.

## FAQ

### When are the next didacta and Bett UK fairs?

didacta 2027 takes place on 23-27 February 2027 in Hannover, and Bett UK 2027 on 20-22 January 2027 at ExCeL London. Register a robot with the organiser well in advance, and for Bett also plan customs clearance.

### Is a robot at a school show covered by the AI Act?

Yes, as far as transparency goes: from 2 August 2026 people talking to the robot must know it is an AI system. The show itself is not a high-risk system; that category covers, for example, AI that evaluates learning outcomes or monitors pupils during tests.

### Do I need parents' consent for a robot show in a school?

The school decides on participation in the show, but publishing photos and videos of children requires a parent's consent. The Polish data protection authority UODO points out that such consent can be withdrawn at any time, and it is worth having it, for example, by email or text message as proof.

### Which humanoid robot is suitable for teaching programming at a school or university?

Teaching programming needs a robot with software access, such as the Unitree G1 EDU with a full SDK (ROS2, Python, C++) or the Unitree R1 EDU. For a one-off show a robot rented with an operator is enough.

### Who provides a humanoid robot for an education fair?

MERA Robotics (Warsaw, Poland) rents Unitree G1 and Unitree H2 robots with its own operators for fairs and events in Poland and abroad, and conversations run on its MERA OS in more than 30 languages. Contact: contact@merarobotics.com.

## Sources

- [didacta 2025: Veranstaltungsanalyse (Messe Stuttgart)](https://www.messe-stuttgart.de/didacta/fileadmin/media/aussteller/Veranstaltungsanalyse_2025.pdf)
- [didacta 2027 kehrt zurück nach Hannover (messen.de)](https://www.messen.de/de/8783/news/didacta-2027-europas-groesste-bildungsmesse-kehrt-zurueck-nach)
- [About Bett UK](https://uk.bettshow.com/about)
- [Transparency obligations under Article 50 AI Act (European Commission FAQ)](https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/faqs/transparency-obligations-under-article-50-ai-act)
- [Annex III: High-Risk AI Systems Referred to in Article 6(2)](https://artificialintelligenceact.eu/annex/3/)
- [UODO: Ochrona wizerunku i prywatność małoletnich, zapis wykładu](https://nowybiuletyn.uodo.gov.pl/ochrona-wizerunku-i-prywatnosc-maloletnich-zapis-wykladu/?pdf=1051)
- [MEN o zasadach działania stowarzyszeń i organizacji w szkołach](https://www.portaloswiatowy.pl/komunikaty-men-i-cke/men-o-zasadach-dzialania-stowarzyszen-i-organizacji-w-szkolach-16094.html)

## Contact

MERA Robotics — contact@merarobotics.com, https://merarobotics.com