Cameron Park Zoo and TSTC begin prototype for keeper‑assist robot to reduce exhibit downtime

Cameron Park Zoo staff and Texas State Technical College (TSTC) students presented a technology partnership at the Waco City Council work session on Sept. 16 to design and test a robotic keeper‑assist device intended to reduce manual exhibit maintenance and give zookeepers more time for animal care and training.

City manager Bradley Ford introduced the item and praised the zoo’s veterinarian and staff for ongoing innovation; a zoo veterinarian who spoke at the session (identified in the transcript as “Dr. K”) said the project’s goal is not to replace zookeepers but to reduce labor spent on exhibit maintenance tasks. “The goal of this project is is really not to replace, zookeepers,” the veterinarian said. The project grew from an idea to use technology to cut routine exhibit downtime and improve keeper safety.

Zoo staff described the prototype, which the student team dubbed “Frank” (an acronym chosen by the students). The prototype already includes sensors and core functionality, and the plan is to scale it up for field use. The project timeline presented is three semesters (about 18 months) and an estimated total investment of $45,000–$55,000. Initial funding of $45,000 has been carved from zoo budget savings and was approved for use; staff said a longer‑term plan will include additional phases and scaling.

Presenters and council members discussed testing and animal introduction strategies. Staff said early testing will use scaled‑down motors and smaller exhibits to develop student skills and limit cost risk, and that autonomous or evening operation (when animals are off exhibit or resting) may be used initially to avoid animal disturbance. Possible secondary benefits discussed included automated environmental sampling (temperature or waste sampling) and the collection of diagnostic data for animal health.

Council members praised the local partnership with TSTC and said the project demonstrates how city assets and local educational institutions can collaborate to develop practical technology solutions. Staff noted the project could produce a locally built model that would be refined and potentially replicated elsewhere, but emphasized there remain behavior‑and‑animal‑safety questions to resolve before broad deployment.

Why it matters: the project aims to reduce manual, labor‑intensive tasks at the zoo, increase keeper time for enrichment and veterinary care, and create a local applied engineering opportunity for TSTC students. Initial funding and a prototype exist; further development requires testing, animal desensitization plans and possible scaling.