iRobot Corp Seeks to Put Robots in the Classroom
Robots created by leading robotics company iRobot Corp. have been used in war zones, disaster areas and even in many homes — it makes the well-known robotic vacuum cleaner, Roomba. Now it wants to put them into classrooms, too, so that the “wonder and genius of robots” can inspire K-12 students to study STEM subjects, the Boston Globe reports.
iRobot’s initiative is called SPARK, or Starter Programs for the Advancement of Robotics Knowledge, and it includes a chance for schools to sign up for Demo Days — when it sends iRobot engineers to schools to give hands-on, interactive tutorials. The Globe quotes CEO Colin Angle as saying: “Robots have the potential to play an integral role in learning.
They excite students and can be important cogs in the teaching process, providing new ways of thinking for students by illustrating abstract concepts.” In a press release, the Bedford, Mass., company says it is “committed to working with public school systems, universities and nonprofit organizations to help reinvigorate STEM learning through the use of robots.” Class, today’s guest lecturer is a Mr. R2D2 . . .
Filed under: K-12 Education News
