The New Childrens Encyclopedia

266

Robotics

Robots are machines that can do the kind of jobs

that people do but never get tired or bored. Some

robots work in dangerous places. Others have

artificial intelligence, making them smart enough

to solve problems and learn from experience.

TAKE A LOOK: FACIAL EXPRESSIONS

 HAPPY Kismet can simulate human

emotions such as happiness by copying the

smiles of people it talks to.

Engineers at the Massachusetts

Institute of Technology in the United

States developed a robot called Kismet.

 DA VINCI is a surgical

robot used to perform complex

surgical procedures.

Bomb disposal

O

Name Remotec HD-1

O

Cost Around $110,000

This robotic bomb disposal unit

is equipped with a color camera and

a telescopic arm and pincer to

disarm explosive devices such as

land mines without risking lives.

Spy plane

O

Name MQ-1 Predator Drone

O

Cost $4 million

The Predator Drone is an unpiloted

aerial vehicle used for surveillance. It

is controlled, via a satellite link, by a

pilot on the ground and is equipped

with two Hellfire missiles.

Space exploration

O

Name Mars Exploration Rover

O

Cost $820 million

In 2003, NASA deployed two robotic

vehicles called rovers to explore the

surface of Mars. The robots work in

conditions that are far too difficult

for human astronauts.

 SURPRISE The robot can learn from

experience but will appear “surprised” in

unusual situations.

ROBOTIC SURGERY

Surgeons use robots to do operations that would be too

difficult for human control. They study the operation site

on a TV screen and guide the robot by remote control.

The robot copies human expressions by

moving parts of its “face” and can learn

by talking and interacting with people.

TE CHNOLOGY

In 2001, surgeons used

robotic surgery to remove

a patient’s gall bladder. The

surgeons were based in the

United States, but the

robot and patient were

in France.

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