4. Listen to two designers talking about ideas for a new product and answer the questions (Recording 1.7):

1. What product are they discussing?

2. Who is the product aimed at?

3. What materials are they going to use?

4. When do they want to launch the product?

5. Look at the sentences from the conversation. Translate them into Russian paying attention to modal verbs:

1. The chair could be useful for all kinds of people.

2. We can’t use steel.

3. We should make it in just three colours.

4. It must be cheap if we want it to be competitive.

5. It doesn’t have to be very different.

6. It has to be safe as the regulations are very strict now.

7. We could launch it just before the summer.

8. We really mustn’t miss this opportunity.

6. Complete the sentences with appropriate modal verbs:

1. This chair ______ be good for small children.

2. To my mind, we ______ increase its humidity range.

3. The device _______ be able to function in harsh conditions.

4. Plastic ________not be used as we need a safer material.

5. The product _________ to meet EU safety standards as they are essential.

6. We _________not produce this equipment as it turned out to be very harmful.

7. Form adjectives or nouns from the words in the box:

Materials	NOUN concrete, steel, brick, glass, plastic, wood, cement, gypsum, stone (artificial), metal, plywood, leather, aluminium	ADJECTIVE
Dimensions		long, wide, deep, high, dense
Shape	triangle, rectangle, circle, sphere, square, cube

8. Complete the description of a robotic vacuum cleaner with appropriate words from Exercise 7:

A robotic automatic vacuum cleaner is made up from a compact ____vacuum mounted on a _____robot chassis. Some models can be fitted with squeegees for cleaning hard floors and laminates. The hardware consists of a pair of motors connected in an H-Bridge circuit. This method of control allows on the spot turning and tank style turning. A microprocessor co-ordinates the sensors and motors which allows the robot to navigate the room.

The "eyes" of the robot are ______and usually represent a combination of micro switch bump sensors that stop the machine when it touches an object and ultrasound sensors which help the robot to judge distances.

Modern robots are also fitted with infra-red or photo cell sensors on the underside which prevents the unit from rolling off edges such as stairs and mezzanines.

Most devices will return to a docking station to charge and empty the dirt collected from a room. Batteries are commonly nickel ____ hydride batteries, though _____ capacity lithium polymer batteries are becoming more common.

9. Look at the pictures. Work in small groups, suggest ideas about making these products using modal verbs and discuss them taking into consideration the following points which are an integral part of a product overview (design specification):

1. description

2. performance

3. ergonomics (adapting a machine or job to the user so that it is comfortable, safe and efficient to use)

4. dimensions

5. weight

6. safety

Write down your final product overview according to the plan, share it with another group, discuss what you agree or disagree with, make changes if necessary.

This example can help you:

Description: a vacuum cleaner which can be used in industrial sphere. Performance: * dry and damp cleaning * input: 1400W * speed pre-selection * constant speed control * dust extraction system with FLEX clip-on system Ergonomics: * display type: all parameters * able to control: the material cleaned * able to alter settings during work Dimensions: * 355*330*520mm Weight: * 4.3 kg Safety: * high