Activity 2.1.

2a Understanding Robots
Introduction
In this activity you will watch Understanding Robots, a video with this description:
Robots don't rule the world...yet, but no one speaks human like Alice Bot. Find out
why she was named the most human computer on Earth. See the advances in
robotic surgery and hear a discussion about millibots and what these miniature,
roving robots may be able to do in the future.

Equipment
Engineering notebook
Pencil

Procedure
While watching the video Understanding Robots, answer the questions below.

Articulate Alice Bot

A virtual friend, also called a chat-bot.

Won a prestigious award for the logna time; judges thought the robot was real!

Dr. Richard Wallace was the creator of the robot.

They use large patterns to make responses. There are (number) 45000 pre-
programmed patterns. They look at the ideas as if-then statements.

People act like robots more than we think. Both people and robots say certain things
over and over again.

Alice was created in( year) 1995. She was taught to sing (really just says it; doesnt
sing as we think of it) what song? Daisy

She will have problems answering any questions that she has not already been
programmed to know. She is not updated recent day.

There were over (number) 500 contributors from all over the world to give Alice high
quality correct responses. This is one of the reasons that Alice seems so real.

The biggest use of this type of robot is to have people learn english.

There is also interest from Politicians in promoting their party.

2011 Project Lead The Way, Inc.

PLTW Gateway Automation and Robotics VEX Activity 2.1.2a Understanding Robots Page 1
Name three robot advancements that are under development, at the present time:

1. Gaming

2. Animation

3. Drama

Robotic Surgery

The DaVinci system is the surgeons right arm when performing this surgery.

Brian will have a quick recovery because there is much less cutting of the patient
with this type of surgery.

The system has (number) 4 arms.

It is currently in 2 hospitals in Canada. There are more in Europe.

The system gives surgeons a precision they never had.

The plastic is over the robot to keep it __________sterile____________.

The three arms you see in the movie each have a distinct use. What three functions
do they perform?
1. Camera

2. Scalpel

3. Forceps

The instruments are tiny. The system makes (number) __4___small incisions for
heart surgery instead of a huge slash from sternum to belly.

Each arm has a _____elbow_________joint and a ______wrist________ joint in the

system.

The doctor removes his shoes at the console for what reason?

he controls DaVinci with his feet and hands

2011 Project Lead The Way, Inc.

PLTW Gateway Automation and Robotics VEX Activity 2.1.2a Understanding Robots Page 2
The pedals control:
1. knife

2. Camera
The doctors hands manipulate the instruments for the robotic arms.
The images you watch are (number) 3 dimensional.

The entire surgical team is ready and scrubbed into the room during the whole
surgery in case of a technical problem.

What do they insert through the patient to mark where to insert the fourth arm?
They insert a needle

Magnificent Millibots

Scenario where they are used is Hostage surveillance situations. Millibots travel
through the air ducts and view out of the vents.

Millibots move using air vents.

One will build a map for the other robots to do the work.

Millibots have to work together. Two types of millibots are shown.

1. solarbot

2. pyrobot

The speaker in the video said to think of the millibots as enhancing your senses.

One of the reasons we use millibots is because of the cost. They cost approximately
$200 each.

They are easy to fix as they have 3-part modular layers.

The latest research concept is to have the millibots link up like a snake.
This would allow them to go up stairs and uneven terrain.

Researchers have tried to incorporate customized ATVs but have been hung up on
how to have the ATV drive the millibots.
More work must be done to fix this problem.

2011 Project Lead The Way, Inc.

PLTW Gateway Automation and Robotics VEX Activity 2.1.2a Understanding Robots Page 3