Alton High School has recently introduced two innovative robots, a CenoBot sweeper and scrubber, to help maintain clean floors across the school. Dave Allison, the head of custodial services at the school, expressed his excitement about the new technology, explaining that these robots will provide valuable assistance to the custodial team.
“It’s really difficult to keep the floors clean in a school that is constantly buzzing with activity,” Allison said. “This school never sleeps, and there’s always something going on. From a custodial perspective, keeping the hallways clean is a challenge because there are always people in the way.”
The robots are programmed to navigate the school’s hallways, sweeping and scrubbing the floors, before autonomously returning to their docking stations to recharge. While the sweeper requires manual emptying, the scrubber has the ability to dispose of its dirty water and refill with clean water on its own.
Allison assured that the robots are safe to use, equipped with sensors that prevent them from running into obstacles or people. If the robots detect an obstacle, they stop and attempt to navigate around it, recalculating their path up to three times before moving on.
Though the robots will handle routine cleaning tasks, the custodial staff will continue to perform more specialized floor maintenance, such as buffing, waxing, and stripping. Allison emphasized that the introduction of the robots is not intended to replace any staff members.
“No one was let go,” he explained. “We did have a floor tech, but we rearranged our positions to keep him on board. This is just an additional resource to help us.”
The CenoBot robots, which were purchased from Royal Lab, are the first robots introduced by ATS, the nationwide janitorial company that manages the school’s custodial services. This move places Alton High School at the forefront of innovation, setting a precedent for other ATS locations across the country.
In addition to the operational benefits, Allison is excited about the educational opportunities the robots provide for students. As part of the school’s initiative, students will have the chance to name the robots. The robotics club will also meet with engineers from CenoBot for a special presentation, where they can learn about the technology and ask questions about engineering and robotics.
Allison believes this hands-on experience will inspire students to explore careers in engineering and technology. “It’s like a kid at Christmas, just waiting to open the presents,” he said, reflecting on the excitement surrounding the robots and their potential to enhance students’ learning experiences.
Through this initiative, Alton High School is not only improving its cleaning processes but also giving students a real-world glimpse into the field of robotics, helping them see how engineering principles come to life in practical applications.
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