Robot helps student battling cancer attend class

KANSAS CITY, Kansas (KTRK) -- A high school student battling cancer is still taking classes in real-time, thanks to a helpful robot.

Ari Burris says she never imagined using a machine for day-to-day life. She was diagnosed with ovarian cancer during the summer months.

Burris takes her education very seriously. She can't risk getting sick during her chemo and, she uses her "Ari-Bot" to keep up with class. She says it's been a great tool for her to stay up-to-date in school.

These particular robots normally cost more than $2,000, but Beam Robotics is letting the Burris family use it for free.

The robot is about 4 feet tall, with a tablet-like screen as a head and rollers on its bottom, which allows it to roam the school under supervision.