I run a robotics company in Gaithersburg, MD. We have a much better system to maintain school athletic fields. We remove the biggest cost (labor), our mowers are electric (zero emissions), do not require worker access to schools, can be permanently placed at each school and run at night, are safer (http://turfrobots.us/media/safe.mp4), have better quality cut, etc.
But MCPS, in violation of their own procurement policy, tells me they are not interested.
By reducing the cost of maintenance MCPS does not need to switch to artificial turf. We are also developing a weeding robot. http://weed.turfrobots.us. As MCPS has no viable means of removing weeds because pesticides are banned.
We can maintain ball fields at the pro sports levels. The Miami Dolphins own a sod and have invited us to run the system on one of their 18 football fields.
Well maintained turf reduces injuries.
Another issue is that the state fertilizer law requires uniform application across the field. Since our robots have 1/2 inch accuracy we can apply the optimal fertilizer for every inch of turf, every week in small amounts as needed. This results in nearly all the fertilzer foing into the grass not streams and the bay. The current MCPS mandated practice of uniform application, based on mixing all soil samples to get an average nutrient requirement for the entire field, means half the field is getting too much fertilizer and the other half is getting too little. This an infrequent application means at least half of nitrogen is running off into local streams.
I flabbergasted at MCPS refusal to even pilot our technology. I have installed hydroponics systems at three MCPS schools at no charge. Students could use the robots during the day for stem learning curriculum. So students may learning robotics, AI, ecology and plant science. So our kids can be competitive in the hightech world they will find themselves in.
Don't our kids deserve the best and for less cost?
I would like your support to provide this solution for MCPS. I am willing to provide cost recovery from sales to other entities so MCPS can obtain these technologies for free.
Perhaps PTA or boster clubs can cover the equipment cost for their schools.
I run a robotics company in Gaithersburg, MD. We have a much better system to maintain school athletic fields. We remove the biggest cost (labor), our mowers are electric (zero emissions), do not require worker access to schools, can be permanently placed at each school and run at night, are safer (http://turfrobots.us/media/safe.mp4), have better quality cut, etc.
ReplyDeleteBut MCPS, in violation of their own procurement policy, tells me they are not interested.
By reducing the cost of maintenance MCPS does not need to switch to artificial turf. We are also developing a weeding robot. http://weed.turfrobots.us. As MCPS has no viable means of removing weeds because pesticides are banned.
We can maintain ball fields at the pro sports levels. The Miami Dolphins own a sod and have invited us to run the system on one of their 18 football fields.
Well maintained turf reduces injuries.
Another issue is that the state fertilizer law requires uniform application across the field. Since our robots have 1/2 inch accuracy we can apply the optimal fertilizer for every inch of turf, every week in small amounts as needed. This results in nearly all the fertilzer foing into the grass not streams and the bay. The current MCPS mandated practice of uniform application, based on mixing all soil samples to get an average nutrient requirement for the entire field, means half the field is getting too much fertilizer and the other half is getting too little. This an infrequent application means at least half of nitrogen is running off into local streams.
I flabbergasted at MCPS refusal to even pilot our technology. I have installed hydroponics systems at three MCPS schools at no charge.
Students could use the robots during the day for stem learning curriculum. So students may learning robotics, AI, ecology and plant science. So our kids can be competitive in the hightech world they will find themselves in.
Don't our kids deserve the best and for less cost?
I would like your support to provide this solution for MCPS. I am willing to provide cost recovery from sales to other entities so MCPS can obtain these technologies for free.
Perhaps PTA or boster clubs can cover the equipment cost for their schools.
Please call me if you'd like to talk more.
240 938-8439