Meet the Jetsons. George, Jane, Judy, Elroy, Rosie the household robot, and Astro the family dog. A family of the future, complete with a robot maid, an aerocar, and instant transport tubes. Totally normal, really. It's funny to think this cartoon was the projected future. Originally debuted in 1962, this is Hanna-Barbera's vision of the Space Age 100 years in the future, 2062. That's just 50 years from now, and I can't imagine that we will really be soaring through the air in spaceships. Or having robots clean the house, make dinner, or help us with homework. Or could they?
"Knox City High School in Knox City, Texas, has teamed up with Vgo Communications, a provider of visual communications solutions, to deploy a distance-learning program for special needs students who cannot attend school in-person.
New technology is allowing a medically fragile high school student to attend classes at his local high school campus via the Internet and “Robotic Telepresence”. Vgo Communications has recently begun to market an affordable visual communications solution that is controlled via wireless high speed networks. A recent series of events happened to fall into place to enable a deserving Knox City High School student to return to school for this spring semester - virtually using a Vgo.
Lyndon, a freshman has a rare medical condition, Polycystic Kidney Disease that required a kidney transplant prior to his ever being able to attend a regular classroom back when he was 7 years old. His prior education was provided by the school's special education Shared Service Arrangement homebound programming. Following a successful transplant, he was able to attend the public schools until last year when he began having symptoms of transplant rejection. Doctors ordered him to go back to a homebound setting as his immune system has become severely suppressed. Although the school has provided staff to go out and instruct him on a limited schedule, a large portion of the responsibility fell heavily on his parents.
The Haskell-Knox Shared Service Arrangement, provider of special education for the member district, Knox City-O'Brien CISD was intent on getting some type of technology in place. It was needed so that Lyndon could stay up with the instruction his peers were receiving. Several attempts with different types of assistive technology were considered, tried or failed to get the desired results. Then in December, H-KSSA's Director, Jeanne Snyder contacted Mike Campbell, a consultant with Region 9's Educational Service Center in Wichita Falls, Texas. After explaining the need for the student to get classroom lectures and notes, Mike agreed to come out and consult.
A sales rep visited Mike the following day and asked to show him a new technological piece of equipment he had with him. It was a Vgo. This robot is a new invention from a small town company in New Hampshire that fit the needs of a boy in a small town in Texas to a “T”! So quickly things fell into place. In less than a month the Vgo is located on the High School Campus, but the student can be anywhere – his presence is transmitted and controlled using his laptop computer. The robot has wheels so Lyndon can drive down the hallways and into classroom. It has a monitor that shows Lyndon’s face and speakers to project his voice as he converses. In turn the camera allows him to “see and hear” what the other students are experiencing. He can interact as if he was there. All this is from his secure environment whether it is home or the hospital or wherever his current location may be so long as he can access the internet.
“You cannot imagine the empowerment and social life it has given back to this student and his family,” reports Snyder. He is now able to take notes in science class and observe labs as they take place. He is also able to joke with classmates and faculty. Last week Lyndon joked about one of the drawbacks of the system, when a coach asked him if he wanted a door opened. “Yeah, I don’t have any arms!” replied a smiling Lyndon as the classroom door was opened for the robot to go through. Students, staff and others freely respond to the Vgo as if it is the actual teenager. Lyndon now experience the classroom firsthand while responding directly. One of his teachers explained that the student body has readily accepted the virtual student, and studying Shakespeare lends itself so much easier with participation in class discussions.
Lyndon’s mother may have summed it up best when she reports: “the Vgo has integrated Lyndon back into the classroom where he is able to participate in classroom discussions and activities as if he were physically there. Most importantly, the Vgo has given back his daily socialization that illness has taken away. It allows him to interact with his peers in the classroom, and hallways and it opens up a whole new world of opportunities for him. Vgo has given him a reason to get up in the mornings so he can go to school. I wish everyone was as excited about school as Lyndon.”" Vgo Press Release
Video found at msnbc.com
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