Teaching robots to blink is hard but important. I met a cute robot called iCub. We played a drumming game together. The robot can blink its big eyes. Blinking is important for robots because it makes them seem more human. This can help people feel more comfortable when they talk to robots.
Making robots blink is not easy. Robots need special motors to move their eyelids. Also, the timing of the blinks must be correct. If the robot blinks too fast or too slow, it may look strange. Scientists are working on making robots blink more like humans. They want robots to have more natural movements and emotions.
Original news source: Why teaching robots to blink is hard but important (BBC)
Listen
Slow
Normal
Fast
Group or Classroom Activities
Warm-up Activities:
– Drumming Game
Instructions: Divide students into pairs. One student will play the role of iCub, the robot, and the other will be a human. The “robot” will follow the human’s drumming rhythm, and the human will say simple sentences to instruct the robot, such as “Drum faster” or “Drum slower.”
– Human vs. Robot Movements
Instructions: Show students pictures of humans and robots performing various actions (e.g., walking, waving, or sitting). Have students discuss the differences between the human and robot movements, using basic English vocabulary like “smooth” or “jerky.”
– Emotion Pictionary
Instructions: Divide students into teams. One student from each team will draw an emotion (e.g., happy, sad, angry) on the board. The other team members must guess the emotion in English. This activity will help students practice their vocabulary related to emotions and imagine how robots could express these emotions.
– Robot Conversations
Instructions: Have students practice simple conversations they might have with a robot, such as asking for directions or requesting help. Encourage students to use polite language and basic English phrases, like “Please” and “Thank you.”
Comprehension Questions:
1. What is the name of the cute robot?
2. What game did the robot play?
3. Why is blinking important for robots?
4. Does blinking make robots seem more like humans?
5. Is making robots blink easy or hard?
6. What do robots need to move their eyelids?
7. What happens if a robot blinks too fast or too slow?
8. What are scientists working on for robots?
Go to answers ⇩
Listen and Fill in the Gaps:
Teaching robots to (1)______ is hard but important. I met a cute robot called iCub. We played a (2)______ game together. The robot can blink its big eyes. Blinking is important for robots because it makes them seem more (3)______. This can help people feel more comfortable when they talk to robots.
Making robots blink is not easy. Robots need special (4)______ to move their eyelids. Also, the timing of the blinks must be correct. If the robot blinks too fast or too slow, it may look (5)______. Scientists are working on making robots blink more like humans. They want robots to have more natural movements and (6)______.
Go to answers ⇩
Discussion Questions:
Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.
1. Do you like robots?
2. Have you seen a robot with eyes?
3. Do you think robots should blink?
4. Why is blinking important for robots?
5. Would you like to play with a robot?
6. What kind of game can you play with a robot?
7. How do you feel when you talk to a robot?
8. Is it hard to make robots blink?
9. What do robots need to blink?
10. Why should robots blink like humans?
11. Would you feel more comfortable if a robot blinked?
12. Can you blink fast or slow?
13. Should robots have emotions?
14. Do you think robots can be cute?
15. What would you name a robot?
Individual Activities
Vocabulary Meanings:
Match each word to its meaning.
Words:
1. robot
2. blink
3. human
4. comfortable
5. motors
6. eyelids
7. timing
8. emotions
Shuffled Meanings:
A) A machine that can move and do things like a person
B) The part of your eye that covers and protects it when you close your eyes
C) How fast or slow something happens
D) Feelings like happy, sad, or angry
E) To quickly close and open your eyes
F) A person or people
G) Feeling good and relaxed in a situation
H) Machines that make things move
Go to answers ⇩
Multiple Choice Questions:
1. What did the author play with iCub?
(a) soccer
(b) a drumming game
(c) hide and seek
(d) cards
2. Why is blinking important for robots?
(a) it makes them look bigger
(b) it helps them see better
(c) it makes them seem more human
(d) it helps them sleep
3. What do robots need to blink?
(a) special motors
(b) batteries
(c) glasses
(d) lights
4. What can happen if a robot blinks too fast or too slow?
(a) it will fall asleep
(b) it will lose power
(c) it will see better
(d) it may look strange
5. What kind of robot is iCub?
(a) a scary robot
(b) a cute robot
(c) a big robot
(d) a small robot
6. What can blinking help people feel when talking to robots?
(a) scared
(b) excited
(c) more comfortable
(d) sad
7. What are scientists working on for robots?
(a) making them louder
(b) making them bigger
(c) making them blink more like humans
(d) making them change colors
8. What do scientists want robots to have more of?
(a) speed
(b) size
(c) natural movements and emotions
(d) lights
Go to answers ⇩
True or False Questions:
1. The robot iCub can play a drumming game.
2. Blinking is not important for robots.
3. Robots need special motors to move their eyelids.
4. Making robots blink is very easy.
5. Blinking helps robots seem more like humans.
6. Robots don’t need to have good timing when they blink.
7. Scientists want robots to have more natural movements and emotions.
8. The robot iCub cannot blink its eyes.
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. Who did the author meet?
2. What game did the author play with the robot?
3. Why is blinking important for robots?
4. Why is it difficult for robots to blink?
5. What are scientists working on to make robots more human-like?
Answers
Comprehension Question Answers:
1. What is the name of the cute robot?
The name of the cute robot is iCub.
2. What game did the robot play?
The robot played a drumming game.
3. Why is blinking important for robots?
Blinking is important for robots because it makes them seem more human.
4. Does blinking make robots seem more like humans?
Yes, blinking makes robots seem more like humans.
5. Is making robots blink easy or hard?
Making robots blink is hard.
6. What do robots need to move their eyelids?
Robots need special motors to move their eyelids.
7. What happens if a robot blinks too fast or too slow?
If a robot blinks too fast or too slow, it may look strange.
8. What are scientists working on for robots?
Scientists are working on making robots blink more like humans and have more natural movements and emotions.
Go back to questions ⇧
Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:
1. blink
2. drumming
3. human
4. motors
5. strange
6. emotions
Go back to questions ⇧
Vocabulary Meanings Answers:
1. robot
Answer: A) A machine that can move and do things like a person
2. blink
Answer: E) To quickly close and open your eyes
3. human
Answer: F) A person or people
4. comfortable
Answer: G) Feeling good and relaxed in a situation
5. motors
Answer: H) Machines that make things move
6. eyelids
Answer: B) The part of your eye that covers and protects it when you close your eyes
7. timing
Answer: C) How fast or slow something happens
8. emotions
Answer: D) Feelings like happy, sad, or angry
Go back to questions ⇧
Multiple Choice Answers:
1. What did the author play with iCub?
Answer: (b) a drumming game
2. Why is blinking important for robots?
Answer: (c) it makes them seem more human
3. What do robots need to blink?
Answer: (a) special motors
4. What can happen if a robot blinks too fast or too slow?
Answer: (d) it may look strange
5. What kind of robot is iCub?
Answer: (b) a cute robot
6. What can blinking help people feel when talking to robots?
Answer: (c) more comfortable
7. What are scientists working on for robots?
Answer: (c) making them blink more like humans
8. What do scientists want robots to have more of?
Answer: (c) natural movements and emotions
Go back to questions ⇧
True or False Answers:
1. The robot iCub can play a drumming game.
Answer: True
2. Blinking is not important for robots.
Answer: False
3. Robots need special motors to move their eyelids.
Answer: True
4. Making robots blink is very easy.
Answer: False
5. Blinking helps robots seem more like humans.
Answer: True
6. Robots don’t need to have good timing when they blink.
Answer: False
7. Scientists want robots to have more natural movements and emotions.
Answer: True
8. The robot iCub cannot blink its eyes.
Answer: False
Go back to questions ⇧
