Problem: Researches at Johns Hopkins University's. Applied Physics laboratory ( APL) in Laurel , Maryland have designed a new human-like robot, Its name is Robo Sally. The machine can be controlled from a distance and can he used to do work that is dangerous for human beings.

Roho Sally has two long arms with human-like hands. She can use her fingers to pick up small objects .examine them in detail and do most things that human hands can do Each finger contains a tiny motor capable of squeezing 20 pounds of pinch foree ,.enough to defuse a bomb under the direction of an operator. She sits on a metal base with wheels that let her move around. turn in tight spaces and climb over small objects, .

Mike McLoughlin is the main investigator for the Applied Physics Laboratory's Prosthetics Program. "The purpose of that program is to develop prosthetic arms that have all the capability of your natural arms .and you do all the complex motions that we can do with the natural arm- with the robot. "

It was a difficult job. Mr. McLoughlin says the device had to have many small motors to. have the ability to do what a human hand does; It also needs to have human-like strength. The thumb was especially difficult because it permits the hand .to hold objects. And everything had. to fit into a space about the size of a human hand.

The next problem .he says .was to figure out how to control the artificial hand. " So we had to figure out how to make the connection between the brain and this arm.

For search-and-rescue duties.Roho Sally will be operated by a human being using a wire- less machine that is far from the robot. The operator will also wear special gloves and glasses. The glasses permit the operator to see the robot's hands .even though they are far away.

Mr. McLoughlin says this kind of robots could be used in what he calls "dull , dirty or dan- gerous" situations where fine human finger movements are required. He says the technology is not ready for everyday application .but he predicts that within five years we will see some won- derful improvements.
1. What is the name of the Robot that the story talks about?
2. Who is the person in charge of the design?
3. Where was this?
4. Where is this located?
5. What were they trying to achieve?
6. Was it easy?
7. What were some of the features?
8. Why small motors?
9. Did they run into difficulty?
10. With what?
11. Why was that?
12. Were there other difficulties?
13. Which was?
14. What was involved?
15. What will be the main purpose of the robot?
16. How will they make the connection?
17. How will it know to do something?
18. Why?
19. Is the robot ready yet?
20. When?
Answer: 1. Robo Sally.
2. Mike McLoughlin.
3. Applied Physics laboratory
4. Laurel , Maryland.
5. Make arms that were natural
6. No.
7. Many small motors.
8. it had to do what a human hand does.
9. Yes.
10. The thumb.
11. It holds objects.
12. Yes.
13. How to control it.
14. The connection from brain to arm.
15. Search and rescue.
16. Wireless
17. The operator will wear gloves and glasses.
18. He can see the gloves with the glasses.
19. No.
20. Five years.

Problem: Robotics is an interdisciplinary branch of engineering and science that includes mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, computer science, and others. Robotics deals with the design, construction, operation, and use of robots, as well as computer systems for their control, sensory feedback, and information processing.

These technologies are used to develop machines that can substitute for humans. Robots can be used in any situation and for any purpose, but today many are used in dangerous environments (including bomb detection and de-activation), manufacturing processes, or where humans cannot survive. Robots can take on any form but some are made to resemble humans in appearance. This is said to help in the acceptance of a robot in certain replicative behaviors usually performed by people. Such robots attempt to replicate walking, lifting, speech, cognition, and basically anything a human can do. Many of today's robots are inspired by nature, contributing to the field of bio-inspired robotics.

The concept of creating machines that can operate autonomously dates back to classical times, but research into the functionality and potential uses of robots did not grow substantially until the 20th century. Throughout history, it has been frequently assumed that robots will one day be able to mimic human behavior and manage tasks in a human-like fashion. Today, robotics is a rapidly growing field, as technological advances continue; researching, designing, and building new robots serve various practical purposes, whether domestically, commercially, or militarily. Many robots are built to do jobs that are hazardous to people such as defusing bombs, finding survivors in unstable ruins, and exploring mines and shipwrecks. Robotics is also used in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) as a teaching aid.
1. how many different fields come together in robotics?
2. why build a robot?
3. how old is the idea of an autonomous machine?
4. is buoilding the robot part of robotics?
5. when did the possibility start becoming reality?
6. are robots a fixed shape?
7. why make them look human?
8. what historic assumption is made about them?
9. how many human activities are listed as being possible?
10. is the field of study shrinking?
11. where inspires a lot of recent robots?
12. what 2 dangerous activives do they do?
13. are they only military in purpose?
14. can they help children
15. what STEM activies dio they do?
Answer: 1. mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, computer science, and others
2. jobs that are hazardous to people
3. classical times
4. yes
5. 20th century
6. no
7. to help in the acceptance of a robot
8. that robots will one day be able to mimic human behavior
9. basically anything a human can do
10. no
11. nature
12. defusing bombs, finding survivors in unstable ruins, and exploring mines and shipwrecks
13. no
14. unknown
15. teaching aid

Problem: It is not easy to be a vet .You never know when you will be called upon to take care of a sick animal. You also do not always know that kind of animal you will be asked to take care of or what you must do to help the sick animal. Once, when some children were playing with a dog, they threw a ball into its mouth. The ball got stuck in the dog's throat and the dog could not breathe. The dog would die if they did not remove the ball quickly. The dog's owner took the dog to a vet called Robert Smith. Mr. Smith put his hands on the dog's neck. He could feel the ball. He was not sure what to do. He pressed a little harder. The dog opened its mouth and the ball came flying out! No one was more surprised than Mr. Smith. Another vet, peter Brown. Worked with sea animals. One day, he was called upon to take care of a dolphin. The dolphin had something in its mouth that had to be taken out, but it did not want to open its mouth. Nineteen men had to hold the strong and slippery dolphin so that the vet could open its mouth.
1. Is it easy to be a vet?
2. Do you always know what kind of animal you will be asked to take care of?
3. What animal did Peter Brown take care of?
4. Which vet attended to a canine?
5. What object did kids toss with a canine?
6. What happened to the ball?
7. What did it cause to happen to the dog?
8. Was it in danger?
9. Did it get brought to the vet?
10. Where did he place his hands?
11. Was he able to dislodge the ball?
12. Who was most surprised?
13. How many men held the dolphin?
Answer:
1. no
2. no
3. a dolphin
4. Robert Smith
5. a ball
6. It got stuck.
7. It couldn't breathe.
8. yes
9. yes
10. on the dog's neck
11. yes
12. Robert Smith
13. Nineteen men.