Local Kids Find a Way to Help Veterans with PTSD

St. Thomas Aquinas Regional School is a Catholic school in Woodbridge.. Students there are taught many things, chief among them being morality and core values. These morals and values are especially
represented in the Aquinas Robotics Team.

The robotics team participates in an annual competition by the name of FLL, which stands for the First Lego League. This competition presents a challenge to those participating by way of team-building exercises, completion of missions, and a project. The team-building exercise grades the team based on cohesiveness, completion of the exercise, and communication. The missions are completed on a map with designated zones for each individual mission. For example, one mission involves programming a team-built robot so that it might move into one such zone.

For the project, the team was tasked with improving the relationship between humans and animals. From the outset, they were specifically focusing on prosthetics designed for both humans and animals, but the topic of veterans consistently asserted itself as the topic of conversation, and as such, they eventually decided to work with PTSD and its effect on veterans. Their goal was to improve the relationship between veterans afflicted by PTSD and their service dogs. They devised an idea that would utilize a service dogs’ ability to sense the precursors to panic attacks. They inserted a button inside a chew toy, which would be located on the dogs’ person at all times. When pressed, the button would transmit an electronic signal to an actuator clamped around a spray bottle. The spray bottle would contain lavender, chamomile, and/or other substances proven to have calming effects. If a veteran might have a panic attack, the dog would bite down on the chew toy, sending a signal to the actuator. The actuator would clamp down on the spray bottle, ejecting the substance up, towards the veteran’s mouth or nose, thereby permitting them to inhale the calming substance. From there the substance would travel throughout their body, calming the veteran.

On the 24th of October, the students were visited by a task force of military working dogs from the Marine Corps Security Battalion and their handlers. The dogs demonstrated skills such as detection of volatile or illegal substances, patrol, such as situational monitoring and attack, and basic obedience skills. All commands were heeded with unerring succinctness, indicating the extent of the training these animals go through before being cleared; as voiced by the lead trainer of the squad “Their training never ends.” This meeting significantly aided the group with their project, along with bolstering some of the team members’ research.

The students that are part of this team are extremely motivated to assist others and to aid in making this world a better place. Even if our efforts consist of simply using a basic invention, such as a diffuser, anyone can make a difference and improve lives. This competition is extraordinarily significant to the students, last year they barely lost 2nd place by 5 points, an infinitesimal amount. This year, they intend to win. To them, it is necessary to prove that they can do this. They are the Aquinas Robotics Team.

Robotics Team Members:
Joey- Team Collaborator/Assistant Press Release Writer
Maya- Project Consultant/Engineering Consultant/Skit Writer
Regina- Senior Project Consultant
Ashish- Project Consultant/Press Release Writer
Sofia- Senior Project Engineer/Project Leader
Sophie- Motivational Coach/Press Release Writer
Anish- Senior Team Engineer
Christian- Imagination Advocate/Press Release Editor
William- Programmer/Mission Consultant
Chris- Senior Programmer/Mission Consultant
Alex- Team Engineer/Programmer/Jig Maker

Written by: Sophie, Christian, Joey, and Ashish, 8th graders and members of the Robotics Team at St. Thomas Aquinas Regional School