Английский язык в сфере компьютерных и телекоммуникационных технологий (стр. 22 )

EXERCISE 4

Read the following word combinations and translate them into Russian.

a) variable flexibility; anthropomorphic robot; autonomous robot; self-maintenance; outside assistance; safe interacting; all robotic scales; power/weight ratio; algorithms for the several areas of humanoid construction; in cohesion with; biological and mental processes; concepts of consciousness and spirituality; current and desired motion; zero moment point; highly structured environments.
б)to adapt to changes in its environment; to adjust strategies; to adapt to new situations; to merge all algorithms into one efficient system; to combine their efforts, reason and act like humans; to work in cohesion with humans; to create a more productive and higher quality future; to facilitate the enhancement of ordinary humans; to assist the sick and elderly; to operate equipment and vehicles designed for the human form; to sense the position, the orientation and the speed; to stay still like factory manipulators; to work in highly structured environments; to move in complex environments; to focus on self-collision detection, path planning and obstacle avoidance; to bring more complexity and new problems to planning and control.

EXERCISE 5

You’ve got acquainted with humanoid robots. What do you think as an engineer about robots in general and their application in science? Answerthefollowingquestions.

1. Which of the humanoids gives more complete characteristics of them?  2. What is meant by proprioceptive sensors? 3. What do the actuators include? 4. What do you think about the future of the humanoids? Do you agree with the conclusion of the text? Give your reasoning.

EXERCISE 6

Guess the meaning of the following word combinations.

Automatic controller; standard program; control system; pneumatic conveyor; a family of components; robot controller; to initiate a signal; a series of machines; a humanoid robot; to adapt to new situations; basic components; sensing, actuating and planning; control system and computational complexity; algorithms for  humanoid construction; engineering, cognitive science and linguistics; to create a robot; human intelligence; biological and mental processes; personal assistance; automotive manufacturing line; space exploration missions; to sense the position and orientation; to indicate the actual position of the robot; electric, pneumatic, hydraulic, piezoelectric or ultrasonic actuators; dynamic balance; zero moment; factory manipulators.

EXERCISE 7

Translate the following sentences. Find in each sentence a subject and a predicate.

1.The computer must consider a great deal of information, and decide on the best way to manipulate an object from many possibilities. 2. For simplicity, most mobile robots have wheels. 3.However, some researchers have tried to create more complex wheeled robots, with only one or two wheels. 4. While the Segway is not commonly thought of as a robot, it can be thought of as a component of a robot. 5.Several real robots use a similar dynamic balancing algorithm, and NASA's Robonaut has been mounted on a Segway. 7. Carnegie Mellon University researchers have developed a new type of mobile robot that balances on a ball instead of legs or wheels.8."Ballbot" is a self-contained, battery-operated, omnidirectional robot that balances dynamically on a single urethane-coated metal sphere. 9.Because of its long, thin shape and ability to maneuver in tight spaces, it has the potential to function better than current robots can in environments with people.10. Several robots have been made which can walk reliably on two legs, however none can walk over rocky, uneven terrain.11.Typically, these robots can walk well on flat floors, can occasionally walk up stairs.

EXERCISE 8

Read the textagain. Say, what is especially interesting for you in this text.

EXERCISE 9

Make up a plan to the text. Titleeachabstract.

EXERCISE 10

Summarizeinformationfrom the text. Speak about a humanoid arrangement, problems of its control, scope of its application.

UNIT VII

NANOROBOTICS

EXERCISE 1

Read and translate the text.

Nanorobotics is the emerging technology field of creating machines or robots whose components are at or close to the scale of a nanometer (10−9 meters). More specifically, nanorobotics refers to the nanotechnology engineering, designing and building nanorobots, with devices ranging in size from 0.1-10 micrometers and constructed of nanoscale or molecular components. The names nanobots, nanoids, nanites, nanomachines or nanomites have also been used to describe these devices currently under research and development.

Nanomachines are largely in the research-and-development phase, but some primitive molecular machines have been tested. An example is a sensor having a switch approximately 1.5 nanometers across, capable of counting specific molecules in a chemical sample. The first useful applications of nanomachines might be in medical technology, which could be used to identify and destroy cancer cells. Another potential application is the detection of toxic chemicals, and the measurement of their concentrations, in the environment.

Since nanorobots would be microscopic in size, it would probably be necessary for very large numbers of them to work together to perform microscopic and macroscopic tasks. These nanorobot swarms, both those incapable of replication (as in utility fog) and those capable of unconstrained replication in the natural environment (as in grey goo1), are found in many science fiction stories.

Some proponents of nanorobotics hold the view that nanorobots capable of replication outside of a restricted factory environment do not form a necessary part of a purported productive nanotechnology, and that the process of self-replication, if it were ever to be developed, could be made inherently safe. They further assert that their current plans for developing and using molecular manufacturing do not in fact include free-foraging replicators.

Nubot is an abbreviation for "nucleic acid robots". Nubots are synthetic robotics devices at the nanoscale. Representative nubots include the several DNA walkers.

Bacteria basedapproach proposes the use of biological microorganisms, like the bacterium Escherichia coli. Thus the model uses a flagellum for propulsion purposes. The use of electromagnetic fields is normally applied to control the motion of this kind of biological integrated device.

In the same ways that technology development had the space race and nuclear arms race, a race for nanorobots is occurring. There is plenty of ground allowing nanorobots to be included among the emerging technologies. Some of the reasons are that large corporations, such as General Electric, Hewlett-Packard and Northrop Grumman have been recently working in the development and research of nanorobots; surgeons are getting involved and starting to propose ways to apply nanorobots for common medical procedures; universities and research institutes were granted funds by government agencies exceeding $2 billion towards research developing nanodevices for medicine; bankers are also strategically investing with the intent to acquire beforehand rights and royalties on future nanorobots commercialization.

Potential applications for nanorobotics in medicine include early diagnosis and targeted drug-delivery for cancer, biomedical instrumentation surgery, pharmacokinetics monitoring of diabetes, and health care.

In such plans, future medical nanotechnology is expected to employ nanorobots injected into the patient to perform work at a cellular ch nanorobots intended for use in medicine should be non-replicating, as replication would needlessly increase device complexity, reduce reliability, and interfere with the medical mission.

Notes to the text

1Grey goo (alternatively spelled gray goo) is a hypothetical end-of-the-world scenario involving molecular nanotechnology in which out-of-control self-replicating robots consume all matter on Earth while building more of themselves, a scenario known as ecophagy ("eating the environment").

EXERCISE 2

Words and word combinations to be learnt:

Toholdtheview (point) –	придерживаться точки зрения
proponent [prə'pəunənt]-	рекомендатель; предлагающий что-либо на обсуждение
exceed -	превысить
bacteria [bжk'tɪərɪə] -	бактерии
assert [ə'sɜ:t] -	утверждать; заявлять
procedure [prə'si:ʤə]  -	процедура
nucleic acid -	нуклеиноваякислота
Royalties -	авторскийгонорар, проценты
commercialization [kəmɜ:ʃəlaɪ'zeɪʃ(ə)n] -	извлечение прибыли; организация поточного производства; промышленное внедрение
intent [ɪn'tent] -	намерение, цель
diabetes [daɪə'bi:ti:z] -	диабет, сахарная болезнь
replication [replɪ'keɪʃ(ə)n] -	копирование; дублирование; повторение
purport [pə'pɔ:t]	означать;  подразумевать
swarm  [swɔ:m] -	рой, стая; куча, масса
Escherichiacoli -	кишечная палочка
flagellum [flə'ʤeləm] -	жгутик;  стелющийся побег, ползучее растение

EXERCISE 3

Translate the following nouns.

а) Form verbs out of them.

Development; application; detection; concentration; measurement; replication; integration;  commercialization; interference;  assistance; surrounding; interacting; computation; construction; enhancement; facilitating; equipment; performance; integration; inclination; maintainance; manipulator;