Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, September 15, 1995                   TAG: 9509150057
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

LITTLE ROBOT'S A MEDIUM WHO REALLY IS HIS MESSAGE

He had the children at Glen Cove Elementary School singing and clapping in rhythm to his song about saving newspapers, bottles, cans, glass and landfill space.

He twirled around, bobbing his arms out and back. The clapping got louder and faster.

When the music stopped, the children listened to his message, cheered him and asked questions.

The children reacted as if "Cycler" were a person. In fact, he is a robot that is teaching children in the Roanoke area about recycling.

He embodies what he teaches.

He is composed entirely of recycled materials. His feet and legs are an old vacuum cleaner. His stomach consists of plastic soft drink bottles. His arms are old newspapers. His ears are crumpled aluminium cans.

Cycler, wearing a green baseball cap with "Recycle America" emblazoned on it, fascinated the kids at the Roanoke County school on Thursday. He's an entertainer as well as a teacher.

"He looks funny. I have never seen anything like it," said Michael Sizemore, a first-grader.

Cycler's computer is programmed to answer questions. Sizemore asked if cans should be crushed before they are recycled. Yes, Cycler responded, that's definitely the way to do it.

"He's strange," said Chris Shaver, a fifth-grader. "I've seen robots on television, but never in person."

Shaver thinks the robot will help the children remember the recycling message better.

The children peppered Cycler with questions. And they cheered when Principal Shelby Thomason posed with him for a photograph.

The robot is about 4 feet tall, weighs about 100 pounds and is battery-powered.

Cycler was created by Ray and Alicia Raymond, who have developed robots for movies such as "Short Circuit" and television programs including "The Twilight Zone."

The robot has visited several elementary schools in Western Virginia this week. The visits have been arranged by Waste Management of Virginia-Blue Ridge, a subsidiary of Waste Management of North America Inc.

Mike Pierce, an account executive with Waste Management, said the company has several robots used for educational programs at elementary schools throughout the country.

"The idea originated in our California division, and now there are several robots traveling around. They are in great demand," Pierce said.

"That's all they do - go from one school to another to teach the children about recycling."

Cycler told the children to separate magazines from newspapers, for example.

Without more recycling, most landfills will be full by 2006, Cycler said.

Pierce told the children that people throw away dozens of things daily that could be recycled - from plastic bottles to cans and newspapers.

"We have limited landfill space, and we need the help of everyone if we are going to save valuable space," he said.

Cycler recruited the children to become Earth cadets to help protect the environment and preserve natural resources.