By Dr. Caryn Long, Director of Educational Technology and Innovation
Montverde Academy Middle and Upper School Robotics teams were invited to tour the Kroger Fulfillment Facility in Groveland to see how the robotics skills they are learning in their classes and competitions are applied in the real world now.
Touring the larger-than-football-field facility was exciting for the students as they watched the rectangular shaped robots zip over the 22-floor-high grids with various grocery products selecting items that had been placed by their customers. “We noticed how the advanced code prevented accidents and kept the factory running smoothly,” said Connor Burke, grade 7.
The students had opportunities to ask questions to the mechanical and software engineers about the complexities of the operation and what it took to make it a reality. “I noticed how quickly and efficiently they worked to pack the orders,” said Ava Pergram, grade 7. “Each person kept organized in their own separate stations.”
“The experience overall was amazing,” said Gabby Joseph, grade 8. “It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to find out the engineering behind the robots and how you can apply technology into packaging goods and miscellaneous items. The efficiency of the robot makes less effort for the people even though it’s a human and robot-driven company.”
