>> PRESENTATION OF SCIENCE TREK
ON IDAHO PUBLIC TELEVISION IS
DE THROUGH THE GENEROUS
SUPPORT OF THE LAURA MOORE
CUNNINGHAM FOUNDATION, COMMITTED
TO FULFILLING THE MOORE FAMILY
LEGACY OF BUILDING THE GREAT
STATE OF IDAHO.
>> ROBOTS EXPLORE THE WORLD, AND
HELP CLEAN OUR HOUSE.
THEY DO A LOT, BUT HOW AND WHAT
IS THE SCIENCE BEHIND ROBOTICS?
WE'RE HERE TO FIND OUT AND TO
ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS.
STAY TUNED.
SCIENCE TREK IS NEXT.
>> HI, I'M JOAN CARTAN-HANSEN,
AND WELCOME TO SCIENCE TREK.
WELCOME TO MICRON TECHNOLOGY.
HERE WORKERS USE ROBOTIC
EQUIPMENT TO HELP BUILD SOME OF
THE MOST ADVANCED MEMORY AND
SEMI-CONDUCTOR TECHNOLOGY.
WE'RE HERE TO ANSWER YOUR
QUESTIONS ABOUT ROBOTS.
BUT BEFORE WE DO, LET'S LEARN A
LITTLE BIT MORE.
>> WHAT'S YOUR ASSIGNMENT FOR
SCIENCE THIS WEEK?
>> WE'RE SUPPOSED TO LEARN ABOUT
ROBOTS.
>> GREAT.
CAN YOU HELP US LEARN ABOUT
ROBOTS?
>> ROBOTS ARE HUMAN MADE
MACHINES THAT PERFORM WORK AND
OTHER ACTIONS.
SOME WORK AUTOMATICALLY.
SOME BY REMOTE CONTROL.
ROBOT COMES FROM THE CZECH WORD,
ROBOTTA, FIRST USED IN A PLAY IN
THE 1920s.
INVENTORS HAVE BEEN BUILDING
SELF OPERATING MACHINES FOR
CENTURIES.
THESE AUTOMATA WERE RUN BY
CLOCKS, OR MOVING WATER.
THE FIRST ROCKY ROBERTS WERE
CREATED IN ENGLAND IN THE
1940s.
BY THE 1960s, ROBOTS WERE USED
TO MOVE THINGS AROUND, LIKE IN A
CAR PLANT.
ROBOTS GENERALLY HAVE THREE MAIN
PARTS.
A CONTROLLER OR A BRAIN, THIS IS
THE PART THAT TELLS THE ROBOT
WHAT TO DO, OR WHERE TO GO.
NEXT ARE THE MECHANICAL PARTS.
THESE ARE THE MOTORS, WHEELS,
GEARS, GRABBERS, WHATEVER, THAT
MAKE THE ROBOT DO ITS WORK TO
GRAB OR TURN OR TO LIFT.
THE THIRD ARE THE SENSORS.
THESE ARE THE DEVICES THAT ALLOW
THE ROBOT TO FIGURE OUT SIZE AND
SPACE, WHERE TO GO OR HOW TITLE
TO GRIP.
TOGETHER, THEE THREE BASIC PARTS
MAKE UP A ROBOT.
ROBOTS ARE SOMETIMES USED WHERE
WORK IS REPRESENTEDIVE, THAT IS,
THE SAME TASK BEING DONE OVER
AND OVER AGAIN.
THEY ARE ALSO USED IN PLACES
THAT WOULD BE DANGEROUS FOR
PEOPLE.
NASA USES ALL SORTS OF DIFFERENT
ROBOTS TO HELP US EXPLORE SPACE.
ROVERS ON MARS ARE MINI LABS
HELPING HUMANS LEARN ABOUT THE
MARTIAN SOIL.
THESE ROBOTS AT THE JOHNSON
SPACE CENTER TEACH NEW
ASTRONAUTS HOW TO DO THINGS IN
SPACE.
THEY COME IN ALL SHAPES AND
SIZES.
SOME ARE AS SMALL AS INTEXTS.
THESE ARE CALLED NANO-BOTS OR
KILOBOTS.
SOME SCIENTISTS ARE DESIGNING
ROBOTS THAT SHOW EMOTION, AND
SOME ARE WORKING ON ROBOTS THAT
THINK.
SCIENTISTS ARE JUST STARTING TO
FIGURE OUT ALL THE DIFFERENT
THINGS THAT ROBOTS CAN DO.
SO WHETHER THEY ARE HELPING US
OUT AT HOME OR TRAVELING DEEP
INTO SPACE, ROBOTS ARE CHANGING
OUR LIVES.
>> WELL, THAT WAS VERY
INTERESTING.
>> YOU KNOW IT CAN'T DANCE.
>> AND JOINING ME NOW TO ANSWER
YOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT ROBOTS, ARE
DEAN KLEIN, VICE PRESIDENT OF
MEMORY SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT HERE
AT MICRON, AND JOSH JOHNSTON, A
RESEARCH SCIENTIST AT BOISE
STATE UNIVERSITY.
THANK YOU BOTH FOR JOINING US.
>> THANKS.
GREAT TO BE HERE.
>> THANKS FOR HAVING US.
>> OK.
LET'S GO TO YOUR QUESTIONS.
>> HI, MY NAME IS HALEY, AND I
GO TO GALILEO, AND MY QUESTION,
AND WHO WAS THE FIRST PERSON TO
BUILD A ROBOT.
>> THAT'S A DIFCULT QUESTION,
ACTUALLY.
LET'S BACK UP AND MAYBE LET'S
DEFINE THE WORD, ROBOT, FIRST.
THE TERM, ROBOT, WAS FIRST USED
BY A CZECH IN A PLAYWRIGHT, AND
THE ROBERT WAS USED TO -- IT WAS
A TERM FOR AN AUTOMATED HUMANOID
THAT WAS A SLAVE, AND THE ROOT
OF THE WORD IS A CZECH WORD THAT
-- ROBOTA, OR ROBOTNIC, WHICH
MEANS SLAVE.
SO, I THINK THAT THE FIRST ROBOT
WAS PROBABLY IN A PLAY IN 1921,
THE PLAY RUR IN CZECHOSLOVAKIA.
>> HI, I AM CAYDEN.
I GO TO GALILEO STEM ACADEMY,
AND MY QUESTION IS, HOW MANY
DIFFERENT KINDS OF ROBOTS ARE
THERE?
>> WELL, THERE ARE A LOT OF
DIFFERENT KINDS OF ROBOTS.
WE USUALLY THINK ABOUT ROBERTS
IN TERMS OF WHAT ENVIRONMENT
THEY OPERATE IN.
SO, WE HAVE MANUFACTURING
ROBOTS, LIKE THE ROBOTS THAT YOU
WOULD SEE BUILDING CARS.
YOU ALSO HAVE ROBERTS THAT GO
PLACES OUTDOORS, AND WE BREAK
THOSE DOWN, USUALLY, ROBERTS
THAT ARE IN SPACE.
ROBERTS THAT FLY.
ROBERTS ON THE GROUND.
ROBERTS ON THE SURFACE OF THE
WATER, AND ROBERTS THAT ARE
UNDER WATER.
AND WITHIN EACH OF THOSE
ENVIRONMENTS, THERE IS LOTS OF
TYPES OF ROBERTS THAT DO LOTS OF
THINGS.
BUT, USUALLY, A ROBERT IS
DESIGNED TO WORK IN ONLY ONE OF
THOSE ENVIRONMENTS, AND USUALLY,
THAT'S THE ONLY PLACE THAT IT
WORKS.
>> I MIGHT ADD THAT IN THE FIRST
ROBERTICS PROGRAM, THERE ARE
10,000 TEAMS WORLDWIDE THAT WILL
BUILD A ROBOT TO SOLVE THE SAME
CHALLENGE, AND NO TWO ROBERTS
ARE ALIKE OF THOSE 10,000.
SO, THERE IS A LOT OF DIFFERENT
TYPES OF ROBOTS.
>> MAYA ASKS, DO ROBERTS HAVE
FEELINGS?
>> SO ROBOTS DON'T HAVE FEELINGS
THE WAY THAT PEOPLE HAVE
FEELINGS.
ROBOTS ARE USUALLY CONTROLLED BY
A COMPUTER BRAIN, SO THEY HAVE
SOFTWARE PROGRAMMING THE SAME
WAY A COMPUTER DOES, AND THEY
RESPOND BASED ON WHAT THE
PROGRAMMING TELLS THEM TO DO.
NOW, AS WE HAVE DEVELOPED MORE
ADVANCED ROBOTS, WE HAVE BEEN
WORKING WITH ROBOTS THAT WE TRY
TO TEACH TO LEARN, SO THAT THEY
CAN GET BETTER AS THEY DO TASKS
OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
AND SOME OF THESE ROBERTS, WE
LIKE TO TALK ABOUT FEELINGS, AS
A METHOD FOR UNDERSTANDING HOW
WE'RE TRYING TO GET THE ROBERT
TO WORK.
SO, WE MIGHT TALK ABOUT A ROBERT
THAT IS PROGRAMMED TO HAVE A
SENSE OF URGENCY, IF SOMETHING
NEEDS TO HAPPEN QUICKLY, OR TO
FEEL SATISFACTION, IF IT'S
PERFORMED THE JOB PROPERLY, BUT
THESE ARE TERMS THAT WE'RE
USING, AND TECHNIQUES WE USE
WHEN WE PROGRAM THE ROBOTS, THAT
DOES NOT MEAN THAT THESE
ROBERTS, ACTUALLY, FEEL THESE
EMOTIONS THE WAY THAT PEOPLE OR
ANIMALS DO.
>> HI, I AM AKILA, I GO TO
[INAUDIBLE] ELEMENTARY.
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW LONG
DOES IT TAKE TO BUILD A ROBOT?
>> I THINK TO MAKE A SIMPLE
ROBOT, LIKE THE RUMBA COSTUME
CLEANER, WHICH IS PROBABLY MASS
PRODUCED IN WELL UNDER AN HOUR.
MORE COMPLICATED ROASHTS TAKE A
LONGER PERIOD OF TIME TIME.
THEY ARE GIVEN SIX WEEKS TO
BUILD THE ROBOTS, AND THEY GET
SENT OFF TO A COMPETITION THAT
IS A COUPLE WEEKS LATER.
THE FIRST LEGO LEAGUE, THEY CAN
PROBABLY BUILD THEIR ROBOTS IN
AN AFTERNOON, SO DIFFERENT
ROBOTS WITH DIFFERENT LEVELS OF
COMPLEXITY AND DIFFERENT LENGTHS
OF TIME TO BUILD THEM.
>> MY NAME IS THOMAS.
I GO TO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
AND MY QUESTION IS -- HOW DO YOU
MAKE THE CONTROL OF THE ROBERT.
>> MOST ROBOTS ARE COMPUTER
CONTROLLED, SO DIFFERENT TYPES
WILL HAVE DIFFERENT TYPES OF
COMPUTERS, DEPENDING ON THE
COMPLEXITY OF THE TASK THAT THEY
ARE WORKING ON.
THIS IS WHAT'S CALLED AN ARDINO.
IT'S A POPULAR HOBBYIST ROBOT
CONTROL, AND YOU CAN SEE IT HAS
A FEW CHIPS ON IT.
VERY SIMPLE, VERY INEXPENSIVE.
THIS WOULD BE KIND OF THE LOW
END OF ROBERT CONTROL SYSTEMS.
>> MY NAME IS ATALIA, AND I GO
TO GALILEO ACADEMY.
MY QUESTION IS, IS A ROBOTIC
ALWAYS DONE THROUGH A COMPUTER?
>> ROBOTS WEREN'T ALWAYS DONE
THROUGH COMPUTERS, BUT TODAY,
MOST ROBOTS ARE.
EVEN IF THE COMPUTER IS A SIMPLE
COMPUTER LIKE THIS ARDINO BOARD.
THIS IS A QUESTION THAT IS
INTERESTING BECAUSE IT GETS TO
THE IDEA OF WHAT IT IS TO BE A
ROBOT.
SO, NORMALLY, WE TALK ABOUT
ROBOTS AS HAVING THREE MAJOR
PARTS.
A PART THAT SENSES, A PART THAT
PLANS, AND A PART THAT ACTS.
THAT'S WHAT MAKES THE ROBOT
DIFFERENT FROM SOMETHING LIKE A
COMPUTER, WHICH CAN THINK AND
CAN PROCESS INFORMATION, BUT IT
DOES NOT REALLY HAVE ANY WAY TO
EITHER SENSE THE WORLD OR TO,
ACTUALLY, DO SOMETHING IN THE
WORLD TO GO OUT AND MOVE
SOMETHING.
IF WE THINK ABOUT A ROBOT IN
THAT SENSE, THERE ALWAYS HAS TO
BE THIS PLANNING STAGE WHERE THE
ROBOT IS THINKING, AND THERE
HAVE BEEN EXAMPLES THAT WE COULD
LOOK AT IN HISTORY OF MECHANICAL
ROBOTS, BUT, REALLY, FOR THE WAY
THAT WE USE THE WORD TODAY,
ROBOTS ARE CONTROLLED BY
COMPUTERS, AND ROBOTS HAVE
COMPUTERS INSIDE OF THEM.
>> RESEARCHER CREATED SMALL
ROBOTS THAT USE BACTERIA-FILLED
FUEL CELLS TO PRODUCE
ELECTRICITY.
THE CELLS DRAW ENERGY FROM
ROTTEN APPLES AND DEAD FLIES.
THEIR GOAL, IS TO MAKE A ROBOT
THAT CAN FORAGE FOR ITS OWN
FOOD.
>> HI, I AM ELLA, AND I GO TO
GALILEO STEM ACADEMY, AND MY
QUESTION IS, HOW FAST IS THE
FASTEST ROBOT?
>> I THINK THE BOSTON DYNAMICS
WILDCAT ROBOT CLAIMS THE TITLE
OF THE FASTEST ROBOT AT 20 SOME
MILES PER HOUR.
HOWEVER, THE SPACE-BORN ROBOTS,
LIKE THE -- MAYBE THE VOYAGER
SPACECRAFT, WOULD HAVE, WOULD
HAVE ACHIEVED SPEEDS OF WELL IN
EXCESS OF 40,000 MILES PER HOUR.
SO, VERY FAST, BY COMPARISON.
>> THE FASTEST ROBOTS ARE,
ACTUALLY, THE FASTEST THINGS
THAT PEOPLE HAVE EVER MADE.
SO THE HELIOS PROBE THAT GO
AROUND THE SUN AND THE PROBES
LEAVING THE SOLAR SYSTEM ARE THE
FASTEST THINGS THAT MAN HAS MADE
AND ALSO ROBOTS.
SO, THAT'S ONE MEASURE OF WHAT
THE FASTEST ROBOT MIGHT BE.
WE ALSO ARE BUILDING ROBOTIC
CARS AND ROBOTIC PLANES THAT ARE
ALSO VERY FAST.
IF YOU THINK ABOUT A ROBOT THAT
HAS LEGS, THEN THE CHEETAH ROBOT
FROM THE BOSTON DYNAMICS IS NOT
AS FAST AS A CHEETAH BUT FASTER
THAN THE FASTEST PEOPLE ARE, SO
THAT ROBOT GOES ABOUT 30 MILES
PER HOUR.
>> NEXT, HOW DO ROBOTS SEE?
>> ROBOTS USE LOTS OF DIFFERENT
METHODS TO SEE.
ROBOTS WILL USE LASERS, RADAR.
THEY ALSO WILL USE VISION, JUST
LIKE THEM DO, SO THIS IS A
VISION SYSTEM FROM A ROBOT
CALLED A STER KEY VISION
CAMERA-HEAD.
STEREO BECAUSE IT HAS TWO
CAMERAS.
ONE ON EACH SIDE, AND THIS WORKS
THE SAME WAY AS OUR EYES DO,
USING TWO DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES
ON THE WORLD TO TELL HOW FAR
AWAY THAT THE OBJECTS ARE.
A ROBOT CAN USE THIS STEREO
VISION SYSTEM TO BUILD A FULL
3-D MODEL OF WHAT THEY ARE
WORKING WITH, USE THAT TO SEE
OBSTACLES AND AVOID THEM, OR TO
SEE OBJECTS THAT THEY WANT TO
REACH OUT AND GRAB.
>> SOME ROBOTS WILL ALSO USE
ULTRASONIC SYSTEMS AND INFRARED
DETECTORS TO SEE THEIR
ENVIRONMENT.
>> MY NAME IS LAUREN.
I GO TO GALILEO STEM ACADEMY,
AND MY QUESTION IS, IN THE
ROBOTICS FIELD, DO YOU THINK
THAT YOU WOULD BE MAKING ROBOTS
TO HELP US WITH ANYTHING ON A
DAILY BASIS?
>> SO, ROBOTS RIGHT NOW ARE
ALREADY IMPACTING OUR DAILY
LIVES, AND THAT'S BECAUSE MOST
THINGS THAT WE BUY HAVE BEEN
TOUCHED BY A ROBOT AT SOME
POINT.
THINGS THAT ARE MANUFACTURED,
OFTENTIMES, HAVE A ROBOT
INVOLVED IN SOME POINT OF THE
MANUFACTURING PROCESS.
EVEN THINGS LIKE FOOD, WHERE
ROBOTS ARE PART OF THE
MANIPULATION OF FOOD AS IT COMES
FROM THE FIELD, AS WE GROW
VEGETABLES, THEY ARE SORTED BY
ROBOTS, AND THEY ARE MOVED FROM
ONE PLACE TO ANOTHER, BY ROBOTS,
SO WE DON'T NECESSARILY GO UP
AND TALK TO A ROBOT EVERY DAY,
BUT THE ROBOTS REALLY ARE
ALREADY IMPACTING OUR LIFE IN A
LOT OF WAYS THAT WE DON'T SEE
DIRECTLY, BUT WE DO SEE THOSE
RESULTS.
>> ROBOTS ARE SOMETIMES
INFLUENCING THE JOBS WE DO, AS
WELL.
THE ROBOTS ARE TAKING THE
DIFFICULT JOBS, OR THE DANGEROUS
JOBS THAT WE REALLY DON'T WANT
PEOPLE TO HAVE TO DO.
>> HI, I GO TO ELEMENTARY
SCHOOL.
AND MY QUESTION IS -- CAN ROBOTS
TALK?
>> SO, ROBOTS DO WHAT THEY ARE
PROGRAMMED TO DO, AND WE CAN
PROGRAM ROBOTS TO TALK.
THIS TAKES A FEW DIFFERENT
FORMS.
SOMETIMES, WE WILL PROGRAM A
ROBOT TO HAVE A SET LIST OF
THINGS THAT IT CAN SAY.
SO, THIS MIGHT BE AS SIMPLE AS
SAYING, YES, OR NO.
THIS IS THE SAME KINDS OF
APPROACH THAT WE USE IN
AUTOMATED TELEPHONE SYSTEMS.
YOU CALL IN, INSTEAD OF GETTING
AN OPERATOR, YOU TALK TO A
COMPUTER.
WE CAN PUT THAT SAME TYPE OF A
SYSTEM INTO A ROBERT SO THAT IT
CAN GIVE LIMITED RESPONSES BASED
ON THE SENSORS ARE TELLING IT,
IT SHOULD DO.
IN TMS OF THE ROBOT THAT CAN
JUST COME UP WITH FREE NATURAL
LANGUAGE AND SOUND LIKE A
PERSON, THIS IS, ACTUALLY, AN
INFINITE -- AN INTERESTING
DEFINITION OF ARTIFICIAL
INTELLIGENCE THAT WAS PUT OUT
THERE BY A SCIENTIST NAMED ALAN
TURING, AND HE SUGGESTED WE
WOULD KNOW THAT WE HAD
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE WHEN WE
COULD PROGRAM A MACHINE THAT
WOULD BE ABLE TO TALK THE SAME
WAY AS A PERSON, AND HE DEFINED
THIS AS, WE WOULD NOT KNOW
WHETHER WE'RE TALKING TO THE
PERSON, OR TO THE ROBOT, AND
THAT'S CALLED THE TURING TEST,
SO WE HAVE ROBOTS THAT CAN TALK,
BUT IT'S REALLY KIND OF A
PLAYBACK OR SAYING THINGS THAT
ARE IN A VERY CONSTRAINED SET OF
CHOICES.
WE DON'T HAVE SOMETHING RIGHT
NOW THAT CAN JUST HAVE A
CONVERSATION LIKE A PERSON CAN.
ALTHOUGH, MOST PEOPLE, MOST
SCIENTISTS BELIEVE THAT THAT IS
WITHIN OUR REACH, AND THAT THERE
WILL BE ONE WITHIN OUR LIFETIME
THAT WE CAN HAVE A REGULAR
CONVERSATION WITH.
>> SOMETIMES, ROBOTS ARE BUILT
JUST FOR FUN.
A FEW YEARS AGO, SCIENTISTS AT
UGOBE SHOWED US HOW THEY BUILT
PLEA OVER, A BABY DINOSAUR
ROBOTIC TOY.
ROBOTS ARE USED TO
DO LOTS OF THINGS.
SOME EXPLORE SPACE.
SOME BUILD THINGS.
SOME ARE USED IN PLACES WHERE
PEOPLE CAN'T GO, THE SEA OR TO
COLLECT DATA.
SCIENTISTS STAY A LOT OF
CHALLENGES WHEN THEY DESIGN AND
BUILD A ROBOT.
THE FOLKS HERE AT UGOBE CREATED
A ROBOT CALLED PLEO, WHICH IS AT
THEIR OFFICES, WE VISIT THEIR
OFFICES TO FIND OUT MORE.
>> WHY DO YOU CHOOSE A DINOSAUR
FOR THE DESIGN OF THE ROBOT?
>> ONE OF THE THINGS IS THERE
AREN'T ANY BABY DINOSAURS
RUNNING AROUND, SO WE ALWAYS
THOUGHT IT WOULD BE REALLY FUN
IF YOU COULD HAVE A DINOSAUR
RUNNING AROUND YOUR HOUSE, AND
SO WE CHOSE THE CAMARASAURUS
BECAUSE IT HAS A LONG TAIL AND A
LONG NECK, AND THEY ARE PRETTY
CUTE.
AND INSTEAD OF BUILDING A
LOW-SCALE MODEL OF A DINOSAUR,
WE WANTED TO BUILD A BABY
DINOSAUR, AND THIS IS JUST ABOUT
THE SIZE THAT A CAMARASAURUS
WOULD BE TWO WEEKS AFTER
HATCHING.
SO, IF YOU REALLY COULD FIND A
DINOSAUR EGG AND HAVE IT HATCH,
IT WOULD LOOK LIKE THIS.
>> HOW DID YOU START?
>> WELL, ONCE WE DECIDED THE
KIND OF DINOSAUR, WE STARTED
DOING OUR RESEARCH AND FINDING
OUT ALL ABOUT THIS DINOSAUR, AND
WE, ACTUALLY, GOT SKELETAL
RECONSTRUCTIONS FROM THE
SCIENTISTS, AND WE STARTED
MEASURING EVERYTHING OUT AND
FIGURING OUT, OK, SINCE WE DON'T
HAVE SPINES AND MUSCLES, WE HAVE
TO USE MOTORS, SO WE STARTED
FIGURING OUT OK, WE CAN PUT THIS
MOTOR HERE, AND IT HAS TO MAKE
THIS MOVE AND MAKE THIS MOVE,
AND WE JUST KEPT WORKING UNTIL
WE FIGURED OUT HOW TO GET
EVERYTHING TO FIT IN THE SPACE
THAT WE HAVE.
SO, THIS IS WHAT OUR LITTLE
BUDDY LOOKS LIKE WHEN HE'S
WITHOUT HIS SKIN.
SO, YOU START TO SEE THE
MECHANISM.
YOU START TO SEE HOW THE WIRES
RUN THROUGH FOR HIM TO TILT HIS
TAIL, AND YOU SEE HIS HEAD, AND
YOU SEE THIS LITTLE SILVER
STRIP, AND THAT'S WHERE HE
SENSES YOUR TOUCH ON THERE.
HE'S GOTTEN ANOTHER ONE ON HIS
CHIN.
HIS EYES OPEN.
INSIDE OF HIS BODY, HE HAS THESE
LITTLE GEAR BOXES, AND EACH ONE
OF THESE LITTLE GEAR BOXES HAS
TO BE BUILT SO THAT IT DOES ALL
THE THINGS THAT YOU COULD SEE
THE MOTOR IN THERE, AND RIGHT
INSIDE.
LIKE A LITTLE MODER, AND IT RUNS
THESE GEARS, AND THAT'S HOW HE
CAN OPEN AND CLOSE HIS MOUTH AND
OPEN HIS EYES, AND ALL OF THIS
HAS TO FIT INSIDE SO THAT IT
WILL STILL LOOK LIKE HE'S
SUPPOSED TO LOOK LIKE ON THE
OUTSIDE.
>> DOES PLEO FEEL, LIKE HIS
NECK?
>> ONE OF THE BIG ISSUES IS THAT
WHEN YOU PUT SOMETHING IN A
PHYSICAL WORLD LIKE THIS, THEN
YOU START THINKING ABOUT IT AS
BEING REAL.
IF YOU HAVE ANIMAL THERE, ANY
KIND OF ANIMAL, PRACTICALLY,
EXCEPT A TORTUS, IF YOU TOUCH
THEM, THEY CHILD ABUSE RESPOND
RIGHT AWAY.
SO, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT YOU COME TO EXPECT, AND IF
WE DON'T HAVE THAT RESPONSE TO
YOUR SENSE OF TOUCH, LIKE IF I
TOUCH HIM DOWN HERE ON HIS LEG,
I EXPECT -- SEE HOW HE LIFTED
HIS LEG UP?
WE EXPECT HIM TO RESPOND, AND IF
HE DID NOT RESPOND, THEN YOU
WOULD THINK WELL, THIS THING IS
NOT ALIVE.
WE WANTED TO MAKE IT AS CLOSE TO
ALIVE AS WE COULD RIGHT NOW.
SO UNTIL WE GET TO THE POINT
THAT WE CAN HAVE THE SKIN, WE
DECIDE -- RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE
EIGHT OF THESE TOUCH SENSITIVE
CAPACITY TOUCHING SENSORS, AND
EACH ONE CAN DETECT THE PRESENCE
OF A HAND.
IT WON'T RESPOND TO THINGS LIKE
A PENCIL.
IT REALLY WANTS SOMETHI LIKE A
HAND, AND SO HERE, THERE IS ONE
BACK HERE.
GOOD LITTLE PLEO.
THERE IS ONE UP HERE.
THERE IS ANOTHER ONE ON THE TOP
OF THE HEAD.
SO, IF WE GO LIKE THIS, THEN
HE'LL KNOW WE'RE PETTING HIM
BECAUSE HE CAN FEEL THIS AND
THIS AND THIS.
THERE IS A CAPACITY SENSOR UNDER
HIS CHIN, SO HE CAN GET THAT
LITTLE TICKLE OF HIS CHIN.
ON THE FRONT OF ALL FOUR OF HIS
LEGS, YOU CAN SEE THEM HERE AND
HERE A HERE AND BACK HERE.
SO, THOSE ARE THE EIGHT TOUCH
SENSORS THAT PLEO HAS TO DETECT
WHAT YOU ARE DOING THERE.
HERE YOU GO.
THAT IS ONE FEROCIOUS BEAST.
IN HIS OWN MIND.
>> HI, MY NAME IS HEMENA, I GO
TO GALILEO STEM ACADEMY, AND MY
QUESTION, WHAT IS THE MOST
COMPLEX ROBOT EVER MADE?
>> THERE IS A LOT OF COMPLICATED
ROBOTS, AND PERHAPS, SOME OF THE
SPACE-BORN ROBOTS, LIKE THE MARS
SOJOURNER, MAYBE THOSE ARE THE
MOST COMPLEX, BUT I TEND TO
THINK, ACTUALLY, THAT MAYBE SOME
OF THE SWARM ROBOTS THAT ARE,
ACTUALLY, FAIRLY SIMPLE ROBOTS
INDIVIDUALLYBUT THAT THEY WORK
COLLECTIVELY TO DO A TASK, THOSE
ARE SOME OF THE MOST COMPLEX.
BECAUSE, IT'S NOT JUST ONE ROBOT
DOING A TEST, BUT HUNDREDS OF
ROBOTS DOING A TASK.
HERE IN THE FACTORY, AT MICRONS,
WE HAVE ROBOTS THAT ARE MOVING
WAFERS BETWEEN MULTIPLE PIECES
OF EQUIPMENT.
THEY HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER TO
MAKE SURE THEY DON'T GET THE
WAFERS TO THE RIGHT MACHINE AT
THE RIGHT TIME, AND THEY ARE NOT
JUST FOLLOWING THEIR OWN
COMMANDS BUT FOLLOWING A
COLLECTIVE SET OF COMMANDS.
>> MATTHEW ASKS, CAN YOU EVER
MAKE A ROBOT THINK?
>> THE DEFINITION THAT MOST OF
US USE FOR ROBOTS REQUIRES THAT
THE ROBOT BE ABLE TO THINK.
SO, WE TALK ABOUT A ROBOT HAVING
THREE PARTS.
IT CAN SENSE, CAN PLAN, AND
IT CAN ACT.
THAT PLANNING REALLY IS
THINKING.
SO, BY THAT DEFINITION, IF WE
HAVE A MACHINE THAT DOESN'T KNOW
HOW TO THINK, THEN WE DON'T
CONSIDER IT TO BE A ROBOT.
SO, AN EXAMPLE OF THIS MIGHT BE
A DOOR AT THE SUPERMARKET WHERE
YOU WALK UP, YOU STEP ON THE
PLATE, AND THE DOOR OPENS FOR
YOU.
SO, THIS HAS SOME OF THE PARTS
OF A ROBOT BECAUSE THE DOOR IS
ABLE TO SENSE THAT A PERSON
WANTS TO ENTER, AND IT'S ABLE TO
DO SOMETHING.
IT'S ABLE TO MOVE AND OPEN THE
DOOR.
BUT, IT DOES NOT REALLY DO ANY
THINKING ABOUT ITS ENVIRONMENT.
IT DOES NOT REALLY KNOW WHAT'S
GOING ON.
AS A VERY SIMPLE RESPONSE, SO,
IN THAT SENSE, WE WOULD NOT
CONSIDER THAT DOOR TO BE A
ROBOT.
IF WE TALK ABOUT A SMART HOUSE
THAT'S ABLE TO KNOW THAT IT'S
OWNER HAS COME HOME, TURN ON THE
LIGHTS, TURN ON THE MUSIC,
UNLOCK THE DOOR FOR HIM, AT THAT
POINT WE SEE MORE THINKING,
WHICH MAKES US START TO THINK
THAT MAYBE THAT HOUSE IS A
ROBOT, AS OPPOSED TO JUST BEING
A SIMPLE MACHINE.
SO, THE BOUNDARY OF WHAT IS A
ROBOT AND WHAT ISN'T A ROBOT IS
VERY COMPLICATED, AND THE
ABILITY TO THINK IS ONE OF THE
THINGS THAT A ROBOT NEEDS TO
HAVE.
>> HI, MY NAME IS RIKER, AND I
GO TO GALILEO STEM ACADEMY.
MY QUESTION IS -- WHY ARE MARS'
ROVERS SO SLOW?
>> THE ROVERS THAT WE SEND TO
OTHER PLANETS MOVE SLOWLY FOR A
COUPLE OF REASONS.
ONE OF THEM IS THE ROVERS THAT
WE SEND DON'T HAVE A LOT OF
POWER ONBOARD.
SO, MOST OF OUR ROVERS WERE
POWERED BY SOLAR POWER.
MARS CURIOSITY, WHICH IS THE
NEWEST ROVER ON MARS IS POWERED
BY A SMALL NUKE -- NUCLEAR REACT
OR.
THE BATTERIES TAKE TIME TO BE
CHARGED.
IF A ROVER GETS STUCK AND
BREAKS, THERE IS NOBODY THERE TO
FIX IT, AND THESE ROBOTS
REPRESENT A LOT OF INVESTMENT IN
DOLLARS AND IN TIME, SO BEFORE
THE ROBOTS ARE ABLE TO MOVE,
THERE IS A LOT OF CHECKS THAT
ARE DONE, A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO
ARE INVOLVED IN MAKING SURE THAT
THE ROBOT WILL PERFORM A SAFE
ACTION.
SO, YOU CAN THINK ABOUT THESE
ROBOTS AS OPERATING AS SAFELY AS
POSSIBLE UNDER A SUSTAINABLE
POWER CONSUMPTION, AND THE IDEA
FOR THIS, IS THAT THEY WILL
CONTINUE TO OPERATE FOR YEARS
INSTEAD OF GOING AND BURNING
THEIR BATTERIES OUT OR MAKING A
MISTAKE AND GETTING STUCK.
>> THERE IS ONE OTHER FACTOR
THAT COMES INTO PLAY, AND THAT'S
BECAUSE THE ROBOTS ARE SO FAR
AWAY, IT TAKES A LONG TIME TO
GET SIGNALS TO THEM, AND TO GET
FEEDBACK FROM THEM.
SO, IF WE COMMAND THE ROVER TO
MOVE FORWARD A COUPLE OF INCHES,
FOR INSTANCE, IT MIGHT BE AS
LONG AS 20 MINUTES OR MORE TO
GET AN ANSWER BACK FROM THE
ROBOT THAT INDICATED THAT MOVE
WAS SUCCESSFUL.
SO, WE DON'T WANT TO GO TOO FAR
WITH THESE ROBOTS AT ONE SHOT.
>> HI, I GO TO HAWTHORNE
ELEMENTARY, AND I WOULD LIKE TO
KNOW HOW MANY PLANETS HAVE
ROBOTS BEEN TO?
>> WE SENT ROBOTS TO ALL OF THE
PLANETS.
WE HAVE FLOWN PAST ALL OF THE
PLANETS.
UTO, WHICH IS NO LONGER
CONSIDERED A PLANET, NEW
HORIZONS WILL BE VISITING SOON.
WE HAVE LANDED ON VENUS.
WE HAVE LANDED MULTIPLE VEHICLES
ON MARS, INCLUDING SOME ROVERS.
WE HAVE LANDED ON THE MOON.
WE HAVE LANDED ON SATURN'S MOON,
TITAN, WE HAVE LANDED A PROBE
THERE, AND WE HAVE, ALSO, SENT
PROBES INTO JUPITER, WHICH IS A
GAS PLANET, SO WE CANNOT REALLY
LAND ON IT, BUT WE HAVE
PENETRATED THE GAS.
SO, WE REALLY HAVE BEEN -- WHEN
YOU THINK ABOUT ROBOTS, WE'VE
BEEN TO ALL OF THE PLANETS, AND
NOW, WE'VE BEEN TO SEVERAL
ASTEROIDS, AS WELL AS A COUPLE
OF COMETS.
>> DEAN, BEFORE WE RUN OUT OF
TIME, LET ME ASK, WHY DID YOU
PICK A JOB WORKING WITH
TECHNOLOGY?
>> I HAVE ALWAYS ENJOYED
TECHNOLOGY.
WHEN I WAS A STUDENT IN HIGH
SCHOOL, I STARTED DESIGNING THE
FIRST PRODUCTS THAT I SOLD, AND
BEYOND THAT, I HAVE JUST ENJOYED
CREATING THINGS.
THAT'S -- BEING AN ENGINEER,
EVERY DAY, I GET TO CREATIVELY
SOLVE PROBLEMS, AND THAT'S VERY
REWARDING.
>> AND JOSH, AS SOMEONE WHO IS
INTERESTED IN WORKING WITH OR
DESIGNING OR BUILDING ROBOTS,
WHAT SHOULD HE OR SHE STUDY IN
SCHOOL?
>> SO, ROBOTS ARE MACHINES, AND
MACHINES ARE NORMALLY BUILT AND
DESIGNED BY ENGINEERS.
TO BE AN ENGINEER, YOU NEED TO
KNOW A LOT OF MATH AND SCIENCE,
AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO
NECESSARILY REALLY LIKE MATH.
IN FACT, MOST ENGINEERS THAT
ISSUE, DON'T REALLY LIKE MATH.
THEY THINK THE MATH IS SOMETHING
THAT THEY HAVE TO DO, SO THAT
THEY CAN BUILD THINGS.
WHAT YOU REALLY HAVE TO HAVE TO
BE AN ENGINEER IS AN INTEREST IN
UNDERSTANDING HOW THINGS WORK,
AND THE PATIENCE TO LEARN HOW
THINGS WORK.
WHAT I WOULD TELL STUDENTS WHO
ARE INTERESTED IN GETTING INTO
BUILDING ROBOTS, IS TO PAY
ATTENTION IN SCHOOL, IN ALL
SUBJECT AREAS, AND REMEMBER THAT
MATH AND SCIENCE, EVEN IF IT'S A
TOPIC THAT'S NOT VERY
INTERESTING TO YOU DIRECTLY,
THAT IS WHAT WE BUILD ALL OF THE
ENGINEERING ON.
IF YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THE
WORLD WORKS, YOU CANNOT
UNDERSTAND HOW TO BUILD
SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO WORK
IN THE WORLD.
AND THEN, YOU CAN GO OFF AND YOU
CAN START WORKING RIGHT NOW.
YOU CAN BUILD WHATEVER YOU WANT.
IN YOUR PARENT'S GARAGE WITH
THEIR PERMISSION, BUT THERE IS
NOTHING THAT SAYS THAT YOU HAVE
TO WAIT UNTIL YOU HAVE A DEGREE
FROM COLLEGE BEFORE YOU CAN
START BUILDING ROBOTS.
YOU CAN START BUILDING ROBOTS
WHENEVER YOU WANT.
>> YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
GET INVOLVED IN THE ROBOT
PRRAMS THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR YOU.
THERE IS IF I -- FIRST LEGO LEAGUE
THAT START IN KINDERGARTEN AND
GO UP PAST 7th GRADE, AND
FIRST TECH CHALLENGE IS FOR
JUNIOR AND SENIOR HIGH STUDENTS,
AND THE ULTIMATE CHALLENGE, THE
FIRST ROBOTS' CHALLENGE IS FOR
SENIOR HIGH STUDENTS, AND THAT'S
WHERE YOU GET TO BUILD THE WILD
ROBOTS.
>> I AM SORRY, WE HAVE RUN OUT
OF TIME.
THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING THE
STUDENTS' QUESTIONS.
>> THANKS, IT HAS BEEN FUN.
>> IT'S BEEN GOOD.
>> OUR THANKS TO THE FOLKS HERE
AT MICRON FOR HOSTING US.
IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION FOR A
SHOW, YOU CAN EMAIL IT OR SEND
US AS A VIDEO QUESTION.
RECORD IT ON YOUR CELL PHONE,
TABLET OR WEB CAM, AND IF YOU
ARE AN EDUCATOR, WE'LL LEND YOU
A CAMERA, IF YOU SEND IN A
QUESTION, YOU CAN WIN PRIZES.
OUR LAST PRIZE WINNER WAS BRADEN
IN MRS. HUNT'S CLASS AT CYNTHIA
MANN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
GO TO THE ROBOT SECTION OF THE
SCIENCE TREK WEBSITE FOR FACTS,
LINKS, LESSON PLANS AND MORE, OR
WATCH SCIENCE TREK THE WEB SHOW,
SEND IN YOUR QUESTIONS AND EACH
WEEK CHECK OUT MY BLOG.
YOU WILL FIND IT ALL AT
IDAHOPTV.ORG/SCIENCETREK.
THANKS FOR JOINING US.
WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME ON
SCIENCE TREK.
>> PRESENTATION OF SCIENCE TREK
ON IDAHO PUBLIC TELEVISION IS
MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH THE
GENEROUS SUPPORT OF THE LAURA
MOORE CUNNINGHAM FOUNDATION.
COMMITTED TO FULFILLING THE
MOORE FAMILY LEGACY OF BUILDING
THE GREAT STATE OF IDAHO.
>> IF YOU WANT TO LEARN MORE
ABOUT THIS TOPIC OR WATCH OUR
VIDEOS, CHECK OUT THE SCIENCE
TREK WEBSITE AT