The CrossBot, resembling a small lawnmower with a single black pole and screen, is a prototype robot designed to protect children in crosswalks and address the crossing guard shortage in the Bay Area.

Created by Hovannes Kulhandjian, an associate professor at Fresno State, the CrossBot is equipped with 360-degree sensors, including Lidar, radar, and video cameras, and has the ability to speak.

When traffic is clear, it rolls into the crosswalk with a red screen, turning green to signal it’s safe for kids to cross, Mercury News has reported.

The CrossBot can also assist visually impaired individuals. Kulhandjian is working on a patent for this device.

Written by B.C. Begley