1. What is a Robot?
What are the distinguishing characteristics of a robot? (How can you tell whether something is a robot, or not)?
It is manufactured (man-made, does not occur in nature)
It can sense its environment
It can respond to instructions
What are some examples of robots?
Real robots
Fictional robots
Describe how these robots match the three characteristics above:
o Ask each team what they think a robot is (there is no universally accepted definition). Generally accepted attributes are that robots:
Are manufactured (i.e. they are man-made, they do not "grow on trees")
Can sense their environment
Can respond to instructions
o Ask each team to give examples of robots they know (real or fictional)
o Ask students to describe how one (or more) of their example robots match the three attributes above.

2. What is a Robot? What is the difference between a robot and a machine?
Some feel a machine must also be capable of movement to be a robot.
What do you think?
Why?
What about a Washing Machine?
Is this a robot, or a machine?
What about an electronic gate at a railway crossing?
o Some feel a robot must also be capable of movement. What do your student think?
What about a Washing Machine? Is this a robot, or a machine? Why?
What about an electronic gate? Is this a robot, or a machine? Why?
These are ambiguous - they appear to meet the 3 characteristics (and they move), yet most people consider these to be machines. The precise definition of a robot is open to debate - so students can support positions on both sides.

3. What is a Robot? Why do we have robots? What is the advantage?
The 4 D's:
Dull work
Dirty work
Dangerous work
Delicate work
Here are 6 types of real robots. What is meant by each? Give an example of each.
Medical (DaVinci)
Military (Big Dog)
Industrial (Kiva)
Domestic (Petman)
Entertainment
Exploratory
o Ask students why we have robots?
The 4 D's:
Dull work (assembly line)
Dirty work (mining, cleaning)
Dangerous work (bomb disposal)
Delicate work (precision work - surgery, fine assembly)
How many types of real robots can student think of? Entertainment (animatronic characters)
Domestic (Roomba)
Industrial (assembly line)
Medical (surgery, artificial limbs)
Exploratory (outer space, deep sea)
Military (pack-bots, drone/ROV airplanes)