Irvington Main Street School fifth graders welcomed Westchester County Police Detective Thomas Barker, who brought the department’s Hazardous Devices Unit robot to school on June 7.
Detective Barker demonstrated how the 1,000-pound Andros robot by Remotec picks up heavy items, checks out dangerous areas, and takes photos and surveillance of hazardous sites. Tethered to a control panel, it features a camera on the tip of the motorized arm extension.
Project Lead the Way teacher Gwenn Carney said, “[Students] were able to make connections to how robots can influence the safety of our community and the safety of law enforcement workers.”
Over the last few months, students have been exploring ways that robots are used to protect the Earth’s resources, as well as their impact on the environment. The Robotics and Automation unit culminated with a final challenge as the students created their own hazmat design to mobilize their robots to remove hazardous materials from a disaster site.
