LAURINBURG — Scotland High School CTE (Career/Technical Education) students experienced STEM in action Wednesday morning as ETI (Emerging Technologies Institute) came to campus and brought in cutting edge AI technology.
ETI, a government defense contractor out of Red Springs, NC, brought drones, a robotic dog, a 3-D printer, a remote controlled vehicle, and computer vision to campus. Drones whirred overhead and a robot dog trotted across the floor as employees demonstrated the equipment, and fascinated students took it all in. Students were allowed to operate some of the equipment at the end of the session.
ETI employee and 82nd Airborne vet Troy Jacobs told the students, “If your parents are bugging you about how much time you spend playing video games or flying drones, tell them it’s R & D (research and development) for your future career and practice makes perfect. It’s true if you’re interested in pursuing a career in AI tech. These things are a part of the skillset for these types of jobs.”
James Freeman, CEO of ETI, said inspiring kids is what this program is all about. “We want them to see the possibilities in this line of work and realize it’s something they can do. We’re trying to identify and encourage kids with an interest and aptitude in this field.”
Jacobs echoed this sentiment and said, “We bring in the robotic dog, the drones to engage the kids and show them what’s possible. We need kids interested in this. They are tomorrow’s problem solvers.”
He continued,” We need the next generation to do what we do but better. At the end of the day, our equipment has an important job to do. That robot dog has many jobs. It can be used to retrieve a bomb or sniff out chemicals in the air and measure air quality and much more. Drones can do surveillance or drop supplies, among other things. We’ve got to have people to build and operate the machines.”
As part of a government contract, ETI not only provides these demonstrations, they also supply 5-12th grade students with STEM Kits and online educational modules to produce things like computer vision and SDR (Software defined radio) free of charge. Students will then use what they’ve learned in an online escape competition. They also have the chance to win scholarships. ETI provides these programs in Scotland, Hoke, and Robeson Counties.