A trial project is currently taking place at the University of Edinburgh, where robots are being used to deliver food to students. These autonomous vehicles, known as Pixie, can travel on private roads within the campus. Students at the university’s King’s Building can order food or drinks using a mobile app. The goal of this project is to showcase the potential of autonomous vehicles in various settings, such as airports or the healthcare sector.

BBC Scotland News recently visited the University of Edinburgh to explore the progress of this autonomous food delivery robot. The team of scientists at the university have been working on developing this technology. The video highlights the use of these robots in delivering takeaways to students, and discusses the potential for their application in other areas.

The project aims to demonstrate the feasibility of using autonomous vehicles for food delivery. By using an app, students can easily place their orders and have them delivered by the Pixie robots. This technology has the potential to revolutionize the way food is delivered, not just on university campuses, but also in other settings such as airports or hospitals.

The video raises the question of how close we are to making this technology a reality. While the trial project at the University of Edinburgh is a step in the right direction, there are still challenges to overcome before autonomous vehicles can be widely used for food delivery. However, the progress made so far is promising and suggests that we are moving closer to a future where robots can play a significant role in delivering goods and services.

In conclusion, the trial project at the University of Edinburgh is using autonomous vehicles, known as Pixie robots, to deliver food to students. This project aims to showcase the potential of autonomous vehicles in various settings and revolutionize the way food is delivered. While there are still challenges to overcome, the progress made so far is promising and suggests that a future with robots delivering takeaways is not too far away.

Original news source: The robots delivering takeaways to Edinburgh students (BBC)

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

Fast

📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– News Summary
Instructions:
1. Divide the class into pairs or small groups.
2. Provide each group with a copy of the article.
3. Instruct the groups to read the article and discuss the main points.
4. Each group must then summarize the article in 3-4 sentences.
5. Have each group present their summary to the class.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions:
1. Divide the class into pairs or small groups.
2. Instruct each group to come up with 3-4 discussion questions related to the article.
3. Have each group take turns asking their questions to the rest of the class.
4. Encourage the class to engage in a discussion and share their opinions on the topic.

– Headline Creation
Instructions:
1. Divide the class into pairs or small groups.
2. Instruct each group to create a catchy headline for the article.
3. Give them a few minutes to come up with their headlines.
4. Have each group share their headline with the class and explain why they chose it.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions:
1. Write down 10-15 key vocabulary words from the article on separate pieces of paper.
2. Divide the class into pairs or small groups.
3. Randomly distribute the vocabulary words to each group.
4. Instruct each group to draw a picture representing the vocabulary word they received.
5. Have each group take turns showing their drawing to the class and asking the class to guess the word.

– Future Predictions
Instructions:
1. Instruct each student to write down 3-4 predictions about the future of autonomous vehicles and their impact on food delivery.
2. Divide the class into pairs or small groups.
3. Have each group discuss and share their predictions with each other.
4. Encourage the class to have a lively discussion and debate about the different possibilities.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What is the goal of the trial project at the University of Edinburgh?
2. How do students at the university place their food orders?
3. What other settings besides universities could autonomous food delivery robots be used in?
4. What challenges still need to be overcome before autonomous vehicles can be widely used for food delivery?
5. How does the video highlight the use of the Pixie robots in delivering takeaways to students?
6. What potential does this technology have to revolutionize the way food is delivered?
7. What role do the Pixie robots play in the trial project at the University of Edinburgh?
8. How does the progress made in this trial project suggest that a future with robots delivering takeaways is not too far away?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

A trial (1)______ is currently taking place at the University of Edinburgh, where robots are being used to deliver food to students. These autonomous vehicles, known as Pixie, can travel on private roads within the campus. Students at the university’s King’s (2)______ can order food or drinks (3)______ a mobile app. The goal of this project is to showcase the potential of autonomous vehicles in various (4)______, such as airports or the healthcare sector.

BBC Scotland News recently visited the University of Edinburgh to explore the progress of this (5)______ food delivery robot. The team of scientists at the (6)______ have been working on developing this technology. The video highlights the use of these robots in delivering takeaways to students, and discusses the (7)______ for their application in other areas.

The project aims to demonstrate the feasibility of using autonomous vehicles for food delivery. By using an app, students can easily place their orders and have them (8)______ by the Pixie robots. This technology has the potential to revolutionize the way food is delivered, not just on university campuses, but also in other settings such as airports or (9)______.

The video raises the question of how close we are to making this technology a reality. While the (10)______ project at the University of (11)______ is a step in the (12)______ direction, there are still challenges to overcome before autonomous vehicles can be widely used for food delivery. However, the progress made so far is promising and suggests that we are moving closer to a future where robots can play a significant role in delivering goods and services.

In (13)______, the trial project at the University of Edinburgh is using autonomous vehicles, known as Pixie robots, to deliver food to students. This project aims to showcase the potential of autonomous vehicles in various settings and (14)______ the way food is delivered. While there are still challenges to overcome, the (15)______ made so far is promising and suggests that a future with robots delivering (16)______ is not too far away.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. What is your opinion on using robots to deliver food?
2. How would you feel if a robot delivered food to your doorstep?
3. Do you think using autonomous vehicles for food delivery is a good idea? Why or why not?
4. What are some potential benefits of using robots to deliver food?
5. Do you think robots could replace human delivery drivers in the future? Why or why not?
6. How do you think the use of autonomous vehicles for food delivery could impact the job market?
7. Have you ever used a mobile app to order food? How was your experience?
8. What are some potential challenges or obstacles that could arise when using robots to deliver food?
9. How do you think the use of autonomous vehicles for food delivery could affect the environment?
10. Do you think the use of robots for food delivery could improve efficiency and speed? Why or why not?
11. What other settings do you think could benefit from the use of autonomous vehicles for delivery?
12. How do you think the use of robots for food delivery could impact the customer experience?
13. Have you ever interacted with a robot before? If so, what was your experience like?
14. What are some potential concerns or drawbacks of using robots to deliver food?
15. How do you think the use of autonomous vehicles for food delivery could change the way we think about transportation?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. autonomous
2. showcase
3. feasibility
4. revolutionize
5. campuses
6. airports
7. hospitals
8. challenges
9. promising
10. goods
11. services
12. trial
13. technology
14. potential
15. reality

Meanings:
(A) To completely change or transform a system, method, etc., in a dramatic way
(B) The state or quality of being actual or true
(C) The practicality or likelihood of a proposed plan or method being successful
(D) Capable of operating independently without human intervention
(E) A preliminary test or examination to evaluate the viability or performance of something
(F) Difficulties that need to be resolved or dealt with
(G) The inherent ability or capacity for growth, development, or coming into being
(H) Facilities where aircraft take off and land, including buildings for passengers
(I) Institutions providing medical and surgical treatment and nursing care for sick or injured people
(J) Assistance or work performed by one person or group that benefits another
(K) To display or present something in a way that highlights its best features or qualities
(L) Items that are produced or manufactured for sale
(M) The grounds and buildings of a university or college
(N) The application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes, especially in industry
(O) Showing signs of future success or positive outcomes
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What is the purpose of the trial project at the University of Edinburgh?
(a) To deliver food to students
(b) To develop Pixie robots
(c) To showcase the potential of autonomous vehicles in various settings
(d) To explore the progress of autonomous food delivery robots

2. How do students at the University of Edinburgh order food or drinks?
(a) Using a mobile app
(b) By calling a delivery service
(c) By visiting a food court
(d) By sending an email

3. What is the potential application of autonomous vehicles discussed in the article?
(a) Universities and restaurants
(b) Grocery stores and shopping malls
(c) Airports and the healthcare sector
(d) Theme parks and sports stadiums

4. What is the goal of the project at the University of Edinburgh?
(a) To develop new technology for food delivery
(b) To demonstrate the feasibility of using autonomous vehicles for food delivery
(c) To replace human delivery drivers with robots
(d) To improve the efficiency of food delivery on campus

5. What challenges still need to be overcome before autonomous vehicles can be widely used for food delivery?
(a) Safety concerns and regulations
(b) Lack of public interest in robot delivery
(c) High cost of implementing the technology
(d) Not mentioned in the article

6. What role does the mobile app play in the autonomous food delivery process?
(a) Students can easily place their orders using the app
(b) The app controls the Pixie robots’ movements
(c) The app provides real-time updates on the delivery status
(d) The app allows students to track the location of the Pixie robots

7. What does the article suggest about the future of autonomous food delivery?
(a) It is unlikely to happen due to challenges
(b) It will only be used on university campuses
(c) It will replace all human food delivery services
(d) It is not too far away

8. What is the main focus of the video mentioned in the article?
(a) The potential applications of autonomous vehicles
(b) The progress of the autonomous food delivery robot project at the University of Edinburgh
(c) The challenges of implementing autonomous food delivery
(d) The future of robots in delivering goods and services

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. While there are still challenges to overcome, the progress made so far suggests that a future with robots delivering takeaways is not too far away.
2. The autonomous vehicles used in this project are named Fairy robots.
3. The goal of this project is to demonstrate the potential of autonomous vehicles in various settings, such as airports or the healthcare sector.
4. The University of Edinburgh is currently conducting a trial project using robots to deliver food to students.
5. BBC England News recently visited the University of Edinburgh to explore the development of this autonomous food delivery robot project.
6. The Pixie robots can travel on private roads within the university campus.
7. The video shows the use of these robots in delivering takeaways to faculty members and discusses their potential application in other fields.
8. Staff at the University of Edinburgh can order food or drinks using a desktop website.
Go to answers ⇩

📝 Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.

Writing Questions:

Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.

1. What is the purpose of the trial project at the University of Edinburgh?
2. How do students at the university order food or drinks using the Pixie robots?
3. What are some potential settings where autonomous vehicles could be used for food delivery?
4. What challenges still need to be overcome before autonomous vehicles can be widely used for food delivery?
5. What does the progress of the trial project suggest about the future of robots in delivering goods and services?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. The goal of the trial project at the University of Edinburgh is to showcase the potential of autonomous vehicles in various settings, such as airports or the healthcare sector.
2. Students at the university can place their food orders using a mobile app.
3. Besides universities, autonomous food delivery robots could be used in settings such as airports or hospitals.
4. The challenges that still need to be overcome before autonomous vehicles can be widely used for food delivery are not specified in the article.
5. The video highlights the use of the Pixie robots in delivering takeaways to students by showing footage of the robots in action.
6. This technology has the potential to revolutionize the way food is delivered by making it more efficient and convenient.
7. The Pixie robots play the role of delivering food to students in the trial project at the University of Edinburgh.
8. The progress made in this trial project suggests that a future with robots delivering takeaways is not too far away because the technology is already being tested and implemented successfully.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) project
(2) Building
(3) using
(4) settings
(5) autonomous
(6) university
(7) potential
(8) delivered
(9) hospitals
(10) trial
(11) Edinburgh
(12) right
(13) conclusion
(14) revolutionize
(15) progress
(16) takeaways
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. autonomous
Answer: (D) Capable of operating independently without human intervention

2. showcase
Answer: (K) To display or present something in a way that highlights its best features or qualities

3. feasibility
Answer: (C) The practicality or likelihood of a proposed plan or method being successful

4. revolutionize
Answer: (A) To completely change or transform a system, method, etc., in a dramatic way

5. campuses
Answer: (M) The grounds and buildings of a university or college

6. airports
Answer: (H) Facilities where aircraft take off and land, including buildings for passengers

7. hospitals
Answer: (I) Institutions providing medical and surgical treatment and nursing care for sick or injured people

8. challenges
Answer: (F) Difficulties that need to be resolved or dealt with

9. promising
Answer: (O) Showing signs of future success or positive outcomes

10. goods
Answer: (L) Items that are produced or manufactured for sale

11. services
Answer: (J) Assistance or work performed by one person or group that benefits another

12. trial
Answer: (E) A preliminary test or examination to evaluate the viability or performance of something

13. technology
Answer: (N) The application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes, especially in industry

14. potential
Answer: (G) The inherent ability or capacity for growth, development, or coming into being

15. reality
Answer: (B) The state or quality of being actual or true
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What is the purpose of the trial project at the University of Edinburgh?
Answer: (c) To showcase the potential of autonomous vehicles in various settings

2. How do students at the University of Edinburgh order food or drinks?
Answer: (a) Using a mobile app

3. What is the potential application of autonomous vehicles discussed in the article?
Answer: (c) Airports and the healthcare sector

4. What is the goal of the project at the University of Edinburgh?
Answer: (b) To demonstrate the feasibility of using autonomous vehicles for food delivery

5. What challenges still need to be overcome before autonomous vehicles can be widely used for food delivery?
Answer: (d) Not mentioned in the article

6. What role does the mobile app play in the autonomous food delivery process?
Answer: (a) Students can easily place their orders using the app

7. What does the article suggest about the future of autonomous food delivery?
Answer: (d) It is not too far away

8. What is the main focus of the video mentioned in the article?
Answer: (b) The progress of the autonomous food delivery robot project at the University of Edinburgh
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. While there are still challenges to overcome, the progress made so far suggests that a future with robots delivering takeaways is not too far away. (Answer: True)
2. The autonomous vehicles used in this project are named Fairy robots. (Answer: False)
3. The goal of this project is to demonstrate the potential of autonomous vehicles in various settings, such as airports or the healthcare sector. (Answer: True)
4. The University of Edinburgh is currently conducting a trial project using robots to deliver food to students. (Answer: True)
5. BBC England News recently visited the University of Edinburgh to explore the development of this autonomous food delivery robot project. (Answer: False)
6. The Pixie robots can travel on private roads within the university campus. (Answer: True)
7. The video shows the use of these robots in delivering takeaways to faculty members and discusses their potential application in other fields. (Answer: False)
8. Staff at the University of Edinburgh can order food or drinks using a desktop website. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧