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The robots are here, and they could be coming to Memphis-area classrooms

By , Daily Memphian Published: July 08, 2026 7:39 PM CT

Standing less than the height of an average man, the gray humanoid robot with a Magnus T-shirt stood stationary, faced toward an auditorium of a few dozen people.

But then Magnus, as his creators call him, started showing off his dance moves as “Eye of the Tiger” by Survivor played through the speakers at White Station High.

The robot, which can operate for two or three hours before a new battery is needed, is a sign the technology is going to be a greater part of our lives within the next five years, Calvin Zhou said.

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Steve Bohnel

Steve Bohnel

Steve Bohnel is a Temple University graduate, originally from Bucks County, Pennsylvania. He’s worked at news organizations in Iowa, Maryland and Pittsburgh, covering local and state politics. He covers health care, transportation and logistics, public companies, banking and finance and technology. He is an avid traveler, an Everton F.C. and Philadelphia sports fan, and likes collecting records and biking around town.


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