Main Street School fifth graders, who have been exploring how robots are used in the real world, had an enriching learning experience at their school on April 10. During a presentation, Westchester County Police Detectives Thomas Barker and John Gould demonstrated how the department’s Hazardous Devices Unit robots assists Westchester County communities, including doing a range of missions and keeping humans safe.
Detective Barker demonstrated how the larger robot – a 600-pound Andros HD2 robot made by Remotec – operates. It can pick up heavy items, check out dangerous areas, and take photos and surveillance of hazardous sites, among others. Operated by Detective Barker, it is tethered to a control panel and features a camera on the tip of the motorized arm extension. Detective Gould demonstrated how the smaller robot – a 64-pound stealthy mini-Caliber robot made by Icor – uses four legs, known as articulators with rubber belts, that allow for fast obstacle negotiations.
“They showed us a robotic demonstration to bring robots to life for our students,” Principal Joyce Chapnick said.
The visit was arranged by technology teacher Gwenn Carney to provide students with an enrichment experience to the robotics unit in Project Lead the Way. The visit also coincided with National Robotics Week, from April 6-14, which aims to inspire students of all ages to pursue careers in robotics and other STEM fields.
