Members of Harrow Way’s Girls’ Computing Club were given a rare insight into the hi-tech world of online shopping recently. Visiting Ocado’s latest warehouse the team of students saw how the online retailer is using the latest in robotic technology to fulfil customer orders.

The new Andover facility, which employs over 700 people, uses hundreds of battery-powered robots to shift boxes of groceries stored in a giant grid. Harrow Way’s keen computer clubbers met the leading team at the Andover site which is equipped with technology knows as the Ocado Smart Platform (OSP). This sees robots sit on rails which can move left and right with a gripper they lower to lift boxes which they put in their belly to be moved to another position or pick location.

Commenting on how the students found the new technology Donna Robertson, Curriculum Leader of IT & Computing said: “It was a really enlightening trip. The girls are obviously all very aware of online shopping but to see what happens behind the scenes with the very latest technology was fascinating for them. They particularly enjoyed seeing a picking robot pick a tube of Pringles and hide it in its tummy before going on to delivery in to the correct area for someone’s delivery!”

Student Kelsey Gibbs enjoyed the trip saying: “I think that Ocado is a great company. It’s good that they are working on things (such as the robot arm) to help make people’s shopping easier. Thanks for the opportunity!”

The Girls computing club is an opportunity for Key Stage 3 girls to get together once a week and experience different types of technologies and integrations of ICT. They have assisted the library with reading the ICT and computing books, worked with Lloyds Bank creating a new e-safety campaign presentation for local schools and taken part in CyberFirst Girls Competition 2018.