Английский язык в сфере компьютерных и телекоммуникационных технологий (стр. 18 )

1. It should be stressed that robots are... . 2. In fact, robotics  was developed... . 3. As a general rule, the advantages of this  development are... . 4. As is known, the disadvantages are.... 5. It is necessary to mention that a number of applications of robots have been  ... .

EXERCISE6

Read and translate into English the information about the robot Asimo.

Asimo (Advanced Step in Innovative MObility) — робот-андроид. Создан корпорацией Хонда, в Центре Фундаментальных Технических Исследований Вако (Япония). Последняя версия робота, выпущенная в 2011 году, имеет рост 130 см, массу 48 кг и он способен передвигаться со скоростью до 9 км/ч.

EXERCISE 7

Divide the text into logical parts and titleeach part. Retell the text. 

UNIT II

ANDROIDS

EXERCISE 1

Read and translate the text.

An android is a robot or synthetic organism designed to look and act like a human, and with a body having a flesh-like resemblance. Until recently, androids have largely remained within the domain of science fiction, frequently seen in film and television. However, advancements in robotic technology have allowed the design of functional and realistic humanoid robots.

The word "android" is a combination of Ancient Greek Andros (man) and the suffix - oid.  According to this fashion, a female human-like robot would be a "gynoid".

The word "android" has been used in literature and other media to denote several different kinds of artificially constructed beings that resemble a human and whose bodies usually have a flesh-like resemblance. Some of the oldest definitions of an android where that of an alchemical creation of mechanical automata, but as early as 1954 it has been used to distinguish it from a robot-like machine as "a chemical creation of synthetic tissue."

Authors have used the term “android” in more diverse ways than robot or cyborg. In some fictional works, the difference between a robot and android is only their appearance, with androids being made to look like humans on the outside but with robot-like internal mechanics. In other stories, authors have used the word "android" to mean a wholly organic, yet artificial, creation. Other fictional depictions of androids fall somewhere in between. There are distinguished three types of androids, based on their body's composition:

the mummy type - where androids are made of "dead things" or "stiff, inanimate, natural material", such as mummies, puppets, dolls and statues the golem type - androids made from flexible, possibly organic material, including golems and homunculi the automaton type - androids which are a mix of dead and living parts, including automatons and robots

Androids are one of the staples of science fiction. Fictional androids are sometimes but not always depicted as mentally and physically equal or superior to humans – moving, thinking and speaking as fluidly as them. The tension between the nonhuman substance and the human appearance – or even human ambitions – of androids is the dramatic impetus behind most of their fictional depictions. Some android heroes seek to become human, as in the film “Artificial Intelligence”. Others rebel against abuse by careless humans.  Android stories are not essentially stories "about" androids; they are stories about the human condition and what it means to be human.

Female androids, or "gynoids", are often seen in science fiction, and can be viewed as a continuation of the long tradition of men attempting to create the stereotypical "perfect woman". Examples include the Greek myth of Pygmalion and the female robot Maria in Fritz Lang's Metropolis. Fiction about gynoids has therefore been described as reinforcing "essentialist ideas of femininity", although others have suggested that the treatment of androids is a way of exploring racism and misogyny in society.

The Intelligent Mechatronics Lab at the Tokyo University of Science has developed an android head called Saya, which was exhibited in 2002 in Yokohama, Japan. Now Saya is working at the Science University of Tokyo as a guide. There are several other initiatives around the world which will hopefully introduce a broader spectrum of realized technology in the near future.

In South Korea, the Ministry of Information and Communication has an ambitious plan to put a robot in every household by 2020. Several robot cities have been planned for the country. The new robot city will feature research and development centers for manufacturers and part suppliers, as well as exhibition halls and a stadium for robot competitions.

The US Army is calling upon Android app developers to help make military life a little less stressful - and, perhaps, a lot safer. They plan to incorporate smartphone technology on the battlefield. Any app will be interoperable across all command systems, and will be tightly secured. The two-pound device will be a military-friendly smartphone designed to run on a variety of existing radio networks, while supporting the full suite of forthcoming apps.

EXERCISE2

Words and expressions to be remembered:

pulp fiction – бульварное чтиво	thestaple ['steɪpl]  главный элемент; основное занятие
homunculus [hɔ'mʌŋkjələs]  - маленькийчеловечек; карлик	behind - в основе
impetus стимул, толчок, побуждение, импульс	misogyny [mɪ'sɔʤɪnɪ] женоненавистничество
app - аппроксимация; приближение;  application - приложение;  app –apparatus - аппарат; устройство; прибор

EXERCISE3

Define what part of speech the following words are and translate them.

achieve - achievement; apply - application - applicable; differ – different; advance – advancement;  chemical – alchemical – chemistry;  substance – substantiate; appear – appearance; initiate – initiative; treat -  treatment.

EXERCISE4

Read and translate the following word combinations.

A flesh-like resemblance; synthetic organism; act like a human; the domain of science fiction; functional and realistic humanoid robots; Ancient Greek; a female human-like robot; in literature and other media; artificially constructed beings; mechanical automata; a robot-like machine; synthetic tissue; on the outside; robot-like internal mechanics; stiff, inanimate, natural material; golems and homunculi; the staples; mentally and physically; equal or superior to humans; a stadium for robot competitions. 

EXERCISE 5

Define root-meanings of the following words with their Russian meanings.

flexible manufacturing system; android; film and television; robotic technology; functional and realistic; combination; fashion; literature; constructed; alchemical; mechanical automata; organic; the mummy type; human ambitions; nonhuman substance; human; stereotypical; the Greek myth; spectrum of realized technology; the Ministry of Information and Communication; command systems.

EXERCISE 6

Translate the sentences into Russian.

1.In some fictional works, the difference between a robot and android is only their appearance, with androids being made to look like humans on the outside but with robot-like internal mechanics.

2.Other fictional depictions of androids fall somewhere in between.

3.Androids are one of the staples of science fiction.

4.The tension between the nonhuman substance and the human appearance – or even human ambitions – of androids is the dramatic impetus behind most of their fictional depictions.

5.Female androids, or "gynoids", are often seen in science fiction, and can be viewed as a continuation of the long tradition of men attempting to create the stereotypical "perfect woman".

6.Fiction about gynoids has therefore been described as reinforcing "essentialist ideas of femininity", although others have suggested that the treatment of androids is a way of exploring racism and misogyny in society.

7.In South Korea, the Ministry of Information and Communication has an ambitious plan to put a robot in every household by 2020.

8.The two-pound device will be a military-friendly smartphone designed to run on a variety of existing radio networks, while supporting the full suite of forthcoming apps.

EXERCISE7

Divide the text into 2 logical parts and find the key sentence in each part. Titleeachabstract.

EXERCISE8

Make the short plan to the text. Say what information from the text is known for you and what is new for you.

EXERCISE9

Workinpairs. Speak to your partner on the information from the text using active vocabulary and the given expressions and example:

Example. A: Can you say a few words about etymology of the word “android”? Do these robots find a wide application now?  Do they have a lot of  benefits?

B: As I know, it has a brief history but...  I would like to note/emphasize; To my knowledge; First of all; I want to say that,,, .

Use the following expressions:

Less work-in-process time; greater productivity; high capital equipment utilization; reduced labour costs; benefits include; unmanned operation; high product quality.

EXERCISE10

Translate the following text into English.

Будущее андроидов: робкие прогнозы.

Разработки коммерческих андроидов сегодня ведут более 100 исследовательских групп ученых по всему миру. И вряд ли инвесторы, финансирующие данные разработки, будут вкладывать средства в исследования, не надеясь на их коммерческое использование: по оценкам некоторых специалистов, потенциальный рынок андроидов в течение ближайших 12 лет составит порядка 30 млн. шт. Производство андроидов обещает стать одним из самых доходных направлений развития индустрии XXI века, сравнимой по своему потенциалу с автомобильной промышленностью. Да и темпы развития «андроидостроения» просто невероятные: всего за год разработчикам удается создать новую модель, которая на порядок совершеннее предыдущей. Ожидается, что уже к середине наступившего века объемы производства андроидов станут сравнимы с объемами производства автомобилей. Вообще, если проводить аналогии с автомобилестроением, то современный уровень развития индустрии роботов сопоставим с состоянием мировой автомобильной промышленности в 1900 году.