Injured Teen uses Robot To Attend Class

Have you ever imagined attending class from your bedroom? Well one kid is doing just that. Michigan teen Cole Fritz has been using a robot to attend class after he was involved in a serious car accident on Jan 7th. His injuries have left him in a wheelchair during his recovery.

Cole now attends class at Commodore Perry High School, as a rolling robot which he controls from home on his laptop. Officials in Michigan’s Mercer school districted partnered with the Midwestern Intermediate Group to come up with a solution to Cole’s inability to attend class.

How does it work?

Cameras and microphones allow him to see what the “robot” sees. He can listen in to class lessons, and the screen of the iPad links directly to his laptop’s webcam.

“It’s really nice to be able to see everybody, and be able to see them and talk to them,” Fritz said.

It’s still a bit of an adjustment for his teachers and classmates, however.
So, the question is – might this innovative solution be the way to the future of education?

Source:
Hobson, Elton. “Robo-kid: Teen Recovering from Accident Uses Robot to Attend Class.” N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Feb. 2015.