Robot allows student to be in class virtually

Kyle Weintraub undergoing cancer treatment in another state

DAVIE, Fla. – A robot allows a seventh grader to attend school in Davie while he undergoes cancer treatment in Philadelphia.

Kyle Weintraub isn't physically at the David Posnack Jewish Day School this year, but he's not missing time thanks to the VGo robot.

"I can make the robot spin, so I can see the whole classroom, so it's basically just like I'm there," he said.

The robot allows Weintraub to participate in class and hang out with his friends. He wears his school uniform and eats lunch with his classmates each day.

"It (could) get kind of lonely just having my mom as the only person I really can see every day," he said.

The robot cost about $6,000 and the money to buy it was raised by fellow students.

"He probably wants to learn even though he can't be here. He wants to see his friends and stuff," said fellow student Marni Rosenblatt.

Weintraub even maneuvers the robot throughout the hallways.

"I just move my mouse around on my computer screen," he said.

"He's no longer isolated. He is part of the class. He's a normal kid, sitting or standing -- whatever your perspective is on what the robot is doing -- but he's right there in front of the classroom, zooming in, zooming out, watching the blackboard, watching the teacher, participating in the conversation," said Kyle Weintrab's father, David Weintraub.