STEM focused Trust gifted two robot dogs by employer partner, Yondr.
In a paw-some new development designed to collar the next generation of engineers and IT professionals, two robotic ‘dogs’ have officially joined the team at a multi-academy trust known for its commitment to STEM education.
Activate Learning Education Trust (ALET), which manages two secondary schools and four University Technical Colleges (UTCs), has been gifted the two highly trained Spot robot dogs thanks to an incredibly generous donation from the Trust’s employer partner Yondr Group.
The donation of two Spot robots to the Trust will enable students to engage directly with state-of-the-art robotics, giving them a head start in developing the skills required for the rapidly evolving technology sector
The robot dogs, called Snoop and Spotnik are worth around £80k each. They are known for their boundless energy and impressive agility and are now ready to assist students in their quest to explore the world of robotics. Just like any loyal companion, these robots will be by students’ sides, offering hands-on opportunities to learn, grow and innovate in the fields of AI, programming and automation.
The two Spot ‘dogs’ – agile quadruped robots developed by American firm Boston Dynamics – are renowned for their ability to navigate complex environments, perform tasks autonomously and adapt to a variety of terrains. Spot was originally developed for research purposes, but it has since been adapted for various commercial uses, such as construction, manufacturing and security.
By incorporating Spot into the curriculum, ALET students will be able to explore cutting-edge technology and gain practical skills in programming, autonomous systems and real-world applications of robotics. The robots will help students understand real-world applications of robotics, from inspecting infrastructure to developing autonomous systems for various industries.
“We are incredibly grateful to Yondr Group for their generous donation of the robot dogs,” said Wayne Edwards, Executive Director of School Improvement (EDSIP) at ALET. “I’m looking forward to seeing what they can do to help the students’ develop the skills they’re going to need in the next ten years to help them in their future careers.”
Paul Hood, COO of Global Data Center Operations for Yondr Group said: “We are delighted to donate these dogs to a nice new home with people that are going to care for them. We’ve done a lot of work with them in innovation and research and development and we’re really pleased that they can go to people who are interested in them and want to make the dogs work hard.”
The robot dogs were unleashed on Friday 31 January as part of a strategy session for the Trust’s flagship Digital Futures Programme – an initiative designed to give STEM minded students a clear career pathway into the digital infrastructure industry. Yondr Group are one 10 partners supporting the programme, which is already seeing students going into exciting technical apprenticeships.
These industry/education partnerships are key to preparing students for the challenges and opportunities of the future workforce via high-quality technical education. With its their incredible doggy donation, Yondr Group is helping to equip students with the tools and knowledge they need to succeed in the fast-growing field of robotics.
About Yondr Group
Yondr Group is a global developer, owner, and operator of hyperscale data centers. The company specialises in delivering and operating dedicated infrastructure that is engineered for scale. As an organisation, our mission—’Global capacity responsible delivery’—ensures that we achieve our vision of a tomorrow without constraints. For more information, visit www.yondrgroup.com.
About ALET
Activate Learning Education Trust (ALET) is a Multi-Academy Trust (MAT) established by Activate Learning in 2015.
ALET ‘transforms lives through learning’ by providing exciting and innovative education for young people by looking at how we learn as well as what we learn. The Trust is currently made up of six schools – two comprehensive schools and four University Technical Colleges (UTCs), and is run with the support of a number of industry and academic partners.
The Bicester School | UTC Oxfordshire | UTC Reading | UTC Swindon| Theale Green School | UTC Heathrow
For more information please contact Cheryl.Chapman@alet.org.uk
