DANVILLE (WSLS 10) - High school students in Southside will soon be able to have a unique way to learn about science, technology, engineering, and math.
The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research in Danville is in the process of getting FarmBots into the schools.
FarmBots are essentially 3-D printers for gardens.
They can be programmed to do a variety of tasks such as planting seeds and collecting data about the soil.
The institute purchased 11 of them and said they will be an extension of the research already being done at the institute.
"It involves not just agriculture, but robotics, coding, 3-D printing. We see it as a tool that can draw kids in from a variety of interests," said IALR Research Director Mark Gignac.
Gignac anticipates schools and organizations across the region becoming increasingly interested in the technology as a result of the institute's effort.