A company called Starship Technologies makes robots that deliver shopping. They want the robots to be safe for disabled people. The robots are small and move on six wheels. They use the same paths as people who walk. The robots can see things in front of them and move out of the way.
The company talks to disabled people to learn how to make the robots better. They want the robots to be careful and not be a problem for disabled people. One thing they are working on is when a robot meets a person in a wheelchair on a narrow path. They also want the robots to see white canes used by blind people. When the robot sees a cane, it can say “Hi, I’m a Starship robot, I’m just letting you know that I’m here.”
The company has a group of disabled people who give them advice. One of them is Steve, who is blind. He wants the robot to make a sound when it arrives at someone’s home. He thinks disabled people should help make new technology better and safer.
Original news source: Making AI delivery robots disability-friendly and ‘cautious pedestrians’ (BBC)
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Group or Classroom Activities
Warm-up Activities:
– Robot Dialogue
Instructions: In pairs, have students create a short dialogue between a Starship robot and a person with a disability. Encourage them to use phrases from the article, such as “Hi, I’m a Starship robot” and “I’m just letting you know that I’m here.” After practicing their dialogues, have pairs present them to the class.
– Advice for Starship
Instructions: Have students work in small groups and brainstorm ideas to make the Starship robots even more accessible and safe for disabled people. They should come up with at least three suggestions. Afterward, have each group share their ideas with the class.
Comprehension Questions:
1. What does Starship Technologies make?
2. How do the robots move?
3. Where do the robots move?
4. Who does the company talk to?
5. What do the robots need to see?
6. What does the robot say when it sees a cane?
7. Who gives advice to the company?
8. What does Steve want the robot to do at someone’s home?
Go to answers ⇩
Listen and Fill in the Gaps:
A company called Starship Technologies makes robots that deliver (1)_______. They want the robots to be safe for disabled people. The robots are small and move on six (2)_______. They use the same paths as people who walk. The robots can see things in front of them and move out of the way.
The company talks to disabled people to learn how to make the robots better. They want the robots to be careful and not be a problem for disabled people. One thing they are working on is when a robot meets a person in a (3)_______ on a narrow path. They also want the robots to see white canes used by blind people. When the robot sees a cane, it can say “Hi, I’m a Starship robot, I’m just letting you know that I’m here.”
The company has a group of disabled people who give them (4)_______. One of them is Steve, who is blind. He wants the robot to make a (5)_______ when it arrives at someone’s home. He thinks disabled people should help make new (6)________ better and safer.
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Discussion Questions:
Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.
1. Can you describe what a robot is?
2. Have you seen a robot before? Tell me about it.
3. What can Starship robots do?
4. Why is it important for robots to be safe?
5. How do the robots move?
6. Who does the company talk to for help?
7. Why do they need to make robots better?
8. What is one problem the company is trying to fix?
9. Can the robot talk to people? What does it say?
10. Who helps the company with advice?
11. What does Steve want the robot to do?
12. Do you think robots can be helpful for disabled people?
13. Would you like to have a robot at home?
14. What would you like a robot to do for you?
15. Is it important to make new things better and safer?
Individual Activities
Vocabulary Meanings:
Match each word to its meaning.
Words:
1. disabled
2. robots
3. narrow
4. wheelchair
5. advice
6. technology
7. blind
8. sound
Shuffled Meanings:
A) A small space that is not wide
B) Ideas or suggestions to help someone
C) Machines that can do things by themselves
D) A chair with wheels that helps people who cannot walk
E) Not able to see
F) New things that are made to help people do things easier
G) A noise that you can hear
H) People who have trouble doing things because of their body or mind
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Multiple Choice Questions:
1. What does Starship Technologies make?
(a) cars
(b) robots
(c) airplanes
(d) boats
2. What do the robots do?
(a) clean houses
(b) cook food
(c) deliver shopping
(d) play games
3. How do the robots move?
(a) on two legs
(b) on four wheels
(c) in the air
(d) on six wheels
4. What do the robots use to move?
(a) roads
(b) water
(c) paths for walking
(d) train tracks
5. Who does the company talk to?
(a) teachers
(b) disabled people
(c) doctors
(d) children
6. What is one thing the company is working on?
(a) robots cooking food
(b) robots playing games
(c) robots meeting people in wheelchairs
(d) robots flying in the air
7. What do the robots say when they see a white cane?
(a) “Hello, I’m a Starship robot. Please move.”
(b) “Hi, I’m a Starship robot. I’m just letting you know that I’m here.”
(c) “Excuse me, I’m a Starship robot. Can I help you?”
(d) “Hi, I’m a Starship robot. Please be careful.”
8. What does Steve want the robot to do when it arrives at a home?
(a) knock on the door
(b) open the door
(c) say “Hello”
(d) make a sound
Go to answers ⇩
True or False Questions:
1. Starship Technologies makes robots.
2. The robots have two wheels.
3. The robots use paths for cars.
4. The robots can see things in front of them.
5. The company talks to disabled people.
6. The robots can say “Hi, I’m a Starship robot.”
7. The company has a group of disabled animals.
8. Steve is blind and helps the company.
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 name of the company that makes robots that deliver shopping?
2. How many wheels do the robots have?
3. Do the robots use the same paths as people or different ones?
4. What do the robots do when they see things in front of them?
5. Who is Steve and what advice does he give to the company?
Answers
Comprehension Question Answers:
1. What does Starship Technologies make?
Starship Technologies makes robots that deliver shopping.
2. How do the robots move?
The robots move on six wheels.
3. Where do the robots move?
The robots move on the same paths as people who walk.
4. Who does the company talk to?
The company talks to disabled people.
5. What do the robots need to see?
The robots need to see white canes used by blind people.
6. What does the robot say when it sees a cane?
The robot says, “Hi, I’m a Starship robot, I’m just letting you know that I’m here.”
7. Who gives advice to the company?
A group of disabled people gives advice to the company.
8. What does Steve want the robot to do at someone’s home?
Steve wants the robot to make a sound when it arrives at someone’s home.
Go back to questions ⇧
Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:
1. shopping
2. wheels
3. wheelchair
4. advice
5. sound
6. technology
Go back to questions ⇧
Vocabulary Meanings Answers:
1. disabled
Answer: H) People who have trouble doing things because of their body or mind
2. robots
Answer: C) Machines that can do things by themselves
3. narrow
Answer: A) A small space that is not wide
4. wheelchair
Answer: D) A chair with wheels that helps people who cannot walk
5. advice
Answer: B) Ideas or suggestions to help someone
6. technology
Answer: F) New things that are made to help people do things easier
7. blind
Answer: E) Not able to see
8. sound
Answer: G) A noise that you can hear
Go back to questions ⇧
Multiple Choice Answers:
1. What does Starship Technologies make?
Answer: (b) robots
2. What do the robots do?
Answer: (c) deliver shopping
3. How do the robots move?
Answer: (d) on six wheels
4. What do the robots use to move?
Answer: (c) paths for walking
5. Who does the company talk to?
Answer: (b) disabled people
6. What is one thing the company is working on?
Answer: (c) robots meeting people in wheelchairs
7. What do the robots say when they see a white cane?
Answer: (b) “Hi, I’m a Starship robot. I’m just letting you know that I’m here.”
8. What does Steve want the robot to do when it arrives at a home?
Answer: (d) make a sound
Go back to questions ⇧
True or False Answers:
1. Starship Technologies makes robots.
Answer: True
2. The robots have two wheels.
Answer: False
3. The robots use paths for cars.
Answer: False
4. The robots can see things in front of them.
Answer: True
5. The company talks to disabled people.
Answer: True
6. The robots can say “Hi, I’m a Starship robot.”
Answer: False
7. The company has a group of disabled animals.
Answer: False
8. Steve is blind and helps the company.
Answer: False
Go back to questions ⇧
