Marblehead second and third graders met a special guest Tuesday — Spot, a robot dog who came to teach kids about computer coding and AI.
Spot can dance, jump and walk up and down stairs, and visited the Glover and Brown schools, along with Dr. Lori Towle from the Code & Circuit school in Amesbury.
“We inspire kids with computer science and robotics,” Towle told the Current at Glover. “Every child has their own unique code and can grow their code. We teach them they can create and innovate.”
Spot was built by Boston Dynamics, but it was Code & Circuit student Will Schierey who designed the code to make Spot do special tasks.
When Towle asked the Glover second graders if they knew how to use the coding language Scratch, they all raised their hands. They learned it in school.
Towle explained all the ways Spot can be helpful to humans.
“He can carry up to 30 pounds on his back. With 18 cameras, he can be a seeing eye dog. Gas and heat sensors can be strapped to his back to keep buildings safe.”
She then asked students what other kinds of things Spot could help with.
“He can go on missions that aren’t safe for people,” suggested one second grader.
Towle then showed a video of another Spot robot at Code & Circuit who is programmed with AI to speak. It uses its cameras to see items and then comment on them.
“Wow, that leaf looks really interesting up close,” Spot commented after seeing a plant.
“With AI, robots can now think a little bit about what they’re seeing and interact with us,” Towle said.
Towle encouraged the young students to always explore and try new things.
“Every brain works differently, every brain is special,” she said. “You each have your own super power, so keep trying new things.”
After the program, student Lucy Wedel said, “Robots are amazing things. They’re a lot like humans even though they don’t have brains.”
If Wedel could bring Spot home, she said, “I would have him do my homework, so I can go outside.”
Editor Leigh Blander is an experienced TV, radio and print journalist.