1

Time for bed,Fred!

Robots at home
Let’s get started
with a warm-up
3

Discuss the quotations about robots shown in the next

3 slides. Say whether you agree or disagree with each
one. Give reasons.
“ “Robots will harvest, cook, and serve our
food. They will work in our factories, drive
our cars, and walk our dogs. Like it or
not, the age of work is coming to an end.”
Gray Scott

Do you agree or disagree with this quote? Why?

4
“ “We're going to become caretakers
for the robots. That's what the next
generation of work is going to be.”
Gray Scott

Do you agree or disagree with this quote? Why?

5
“ “In time, people will have relationships with
certain kinds of robots – not every robot,
but certain kinds of robots – where they
might feel that it is a sort of friendship, but
it's going to be of a robot-human kind.”
Cynthia Breazeal

Do you agree or disagree with this quote? Why?

6
Let’s learn some
vocabulary
8
Match the words to their definitions.

1. a new method or idea

A. bot (n)
2. a person you spend time with
B. Innovation (n)
3. know someone or something
C. flip (v) because you have seen or
heard of it/them before
D. recognise (v)
4. take hold of something (e.g. an
E. companion (n) object) suddenly

5. an informal word for ‘robot’

F. adapt (v)
6. turn something around
G. grab (v)
7. change to suit different uses or
conditions
9

Discuss the questions.

➔ How commonplace are domestic bots?

➔ What kind of jobs can bots do in our homes?
➔ What kind of people would like a robot companion?
➔ What are the advantages of a robot having a human
appearance?
➔ What changes do you think you’ll see in your home in the
not-too-distant future?
In a moment, you’ll watch a short video about:

Samsung's first-ever personal

robots: Bot Care and Bot Handy
What do you think these robots might do?
11
Watch the video and discuss the questions.

● What is the purpose of the

video?
● Do you think the video
achieves its purpose well?
Why/Why not?
● What, if anything, surprises
you about the video?
Link to video here ;)
12
Complete the transcript. Write one word in each gap.
Tip: All words have two letters.

Whether you’re ………… home or outside of it, you are at the centre of all our innovations.
Now, we're going to show you what this looks like ………… a not-too-distant future. First,
Samsung BotTM Care uses AI technology ………… take care of all the little details in your
life ………… recognising and understanding your behaviours, to ………… a better robotic
assistant and a companion:

‘You’ve been ………… your computer too long. How about stretching and taking a short
break? The conference call ………… scheduled in a few minutes.’ BotTM Care knows your
schedule and your habits and can remind you ………… the conference call you have with
colleagues. Coming up ………… 15 minutes!
13 Complete the transcript. Write one word in each gap.
Tip: All words have two letters.
Whether you’re ………… home or outside of it, you are
at the centre of all our innovations. Now, we're
going to show you what this looks like ………… a
not-too-distant future. First, Samsung BotTM Care
uses AI technology ………… take care of all the little
details in your life ………… recognising and
understanding your behaviours, to ………… a better
robotic assistant and a companion:

‘You’ve been ………… your computer too long. How

about stretching and taking a short break? The
conference call ………… scheduled in a few minutes.’
BotTM Care knows your schedule and your habits
and can remind you ………… the conference call you
have with colleagues. Coming up ………… 15 minutes!
14
Read these extracts from the video and explain the meaning of
the parts in bold.

1. …you are at the centre of all our innovations.

2. BotTM Care uses AI technology to take care of all the little details in your life…

3. …becoming an extension of you, in the kitchen, in the living room and

anywhere else you may need that extra hand…

4. BotTM Handy uses AI to understand objects like a glass cup or ceramic plate,
taking note of their shape and materials to work as your trusted partner.

5. It flips the script on what a robot in your home could look like.

6. Each of these robots are built with you in mind.

7. We're hard at work to bring you next-generation innovation with AI as the core
enabler for your better tomorrow.
15

Discuss the questions.

➔ What information would help robot designers put you at the

centre of their innovations?
➔ Would you like to have a bot at home to take care of all the little
details in your life? Why/Why not?
➔ In what ways could a bot become an extension of you at home or
at work?
➔ Which features of your home design might help or hinder a bot?
➔ What would a robot built ‘with you in mind’ look like?
Let’s practise
language for speculation
17
Look at the language for speculation. Make new sentences using
the words in bold. Talk about topics in the yellow box
LANGUAGE FOR SPECULATION

QUITE CONFIDENT SURE

● Companion robots will probably take
the place of care assistants.
● In the future I think we might have
more free time.
● It’s highly likely/unlikely that
domestic robots will fall in price.
● I’m sure that by 2030 domestic robots
will be in most of our homes.
● I’ll definitely have a robot in my home
in five years’ time.
● I definitely won’t work more than 20
hours a week in the future.
● I’m convinced that we’ll all have a robot
companion by 2050.

● how bots will change education

● how bots will change your job
● how bots will change your leisure activities
18

Discuss the questions.

➔ How has technology changed society?

➔ Has technology made us more impatient?
➔ Max Frisch said: "Technology is the knack* of arranging the world so that we
don't have to experience it." Do you agree with him?
➔ Mark Kennedy said: "All of the biggest technological inventions created by
man - the airplane, the automobile, the computer - say little about his
intelligence, but speak volumes about his laziness." Do you agree?

*Knack: a skilful, ingenious, or resourceful way of doing something

19

Discuss the questions.

➔ Frank Lloyd Wright said: "If it [technology] keeps up, man will waste away all
his limbs but the push-button finger." What does this mean? Do you like this
quote?
➔ Alan M. Eddison said: "Modern technology... *Owes ecology... An apology."
What does this mean? Do you agree?

*To Keep up:to continue to do or have something

*To owe: to need to pay or give something to someone because they have lent
money to you, or in exchange for something they have done for you.
20
Speculate about homes of the future. Take turns to choose a topic.
Speak for as long as possible about each one.
Use some of the language from the previous slide.

● bathroom design ● living room design

● bedroom design ● location
● comfort ● materials
● cooking ● outdoor space
● entertainment ● ownership
● heating ● pets
● housework ● size
● kitchen design ● storage
Congratulations!
Practice Makes Progress