Vocabulary

to manipulate – манипулировать; умело обращаться, управлять

precise way – точный способ

joint – соединение, место соединения; паз, шар-нир

pneumatic motor – пневмодвигатель

actuator – исполнительный механизм; привод, уп-равляющее устройство

gripper – захват, захватывающее приспособление, захватное устройство

end effector – рабочий орган (робота)

infrared controls – инфракрасные элементы управления to transmit information – передавать информацию

to adjust movements – корректировать движения, приспосабли-вать, приводить в соответствие

preset order – заранее установленный порядок manual manipulator – манипулятор с ручным управлением

fixed-sequence robot – робот с фиксированной последовательно-стью движений

variable-sequence robot – робот с изменяемой последовательностью движений

playback robot – робот с воспроизведением программы (вводимой с внешнего носителя)

numerically-controlled robot – робот с числовым программным управле-нием

punched paper tape – перфорированная бумажная лента, бу-мажная перфолента

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intelligent robot sensing device analytical capability robotic arm planetary rover

remotely-operated vehicle

space probe hazardous material Artificial Intelligence

– интеллектуальный робот

– датчик, чувствительный элемент – аналитическая способность

– манипулятор, рука робота

– планетарный вездеход, ровер, мобильный аппарат

– дистанционно-управляемое транспортное средство, (тж. летательный аппарат)

– космическая исследовательская ракета – опасный, взрывчатый материал

– искусственный интеллект

Before you start

1. Work in pairs. Try to write a definition of the word ―robot‖.

Reading

2. Robots are widely-used in all fields of our life. Read part one of the text Robots, androids, AI and

compare your definition of a robot with the definition given in it; complete the article with words from the text.

ACTION ROBOT TO COPY BRAIN

Scientists at Aberystwyth University are working on a machine which they hope will recognize objects with cameras that will work as (1)…………., and retrieve objects with an arm that will be its (2)……………. .

Although the arm will have (3)…………… that will link its muscles and an electric motor that will be the (4)…………., this new (5)…………… won‟t move like a human, i.e. won‟t be like the (6)…………... of science-fiction films: forget Star Wars‘ C3PO. It will be desk based: no walking, or climbing stairs.

The team hopes to discover how the brain performs „multi-tasking‟ and to use that information to develop the (7)………….. ………….. to create a robot that can think for itself.

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3. Read part two of the text and match the category of a robot with its characteristics.

1. variable-sequence robot 2. intelligent robot 3. manual manipulator 4. fixed-sequence robot 5. numerically-controlled robot 6. playback robot

a. moves from one position to another according to numerical instructions; b. carries out hand-and-arm functions to hold and move objects, remotely con-trolled by a person; c. performs operations in a preset order but can be easily reprogrammed for a different sequence of them; d. repeats a sequence of movements and operations first „taught‟ by manual manipulator and stored in the robot‟s memory unit; e. can decide its course of action on the basis of its sensing devices and ana-lytical capability; f. performs a series of operations in a preset order, always in the same se-ries of locations in space.

4. Read part three of the text and speak on the diagram using given key words.

USES OF ROBOTS

ROBOTS IN INDUSTRY

(robotic arm,

to be widely used, to weld, to as-sembly, precision of movements)

ROBOTS AND SPACE

(planetary rovers, space probes

to explore space)

ROBOTS AND HEALTH (surgical robots,

to assist, delicate operations,

to mimic move-ments)

ROBOTS AND SAFETY

( to defuse bombs, to handle hazard-ous materials)

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5. Read part four of the text and answer the following questions: 1. What does “Artificial Intelligence” mean?

2. What can androids do? How do they look like?

3. What can androids “learn” from the environment? 4. What is the function of the expert systems?

5. What is the purpose of designing neural networks?

6. What do neural networks use to imitate the functions of brain cells?

Robots, androids, AI