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Learning why robots need very specific and clear instructions to perform a task correctly.
Imagine you asked a robot to 'get your shoes,' but instead of using the door, it walked right through a wall to get to the closet! Why didn't it just use the door like you would?
Robots are incredibly fast at doing math, but they aren't 'smart' the same way humans are. Humans have something called common sense. If your teacher says, 'Line up for recess,' you know to stand up, push in your chair, and walk to the door. A robot doesn't know any of those 'hidden' steps! Robots are literal, which means they only do exactly what you say—nothing more and nothing less. If you forget to tell a robot to open a door, it will just bump into it forever!
Quick Check
Why can't a robot 'guess' that it should open a door before walking through it?
Answer
Because robots lack common sense and only follow the exact instructions they are given.
When we talk to humans, we often use vague instructions. These are 'fuzzy' directions like 'clean your room' or 'make a snack.' For a robot, these are impossible! To help a robot, we must be precise. This means giving exact details. Instead of saying 'move the block,' a programmer would say 'move the block centimeters to the right.' By using numbers and clear action words, we make sure the robot does exactly what we want.
To help a robot draw a square with sides of inches, we use these precise steps: 1. Draw a straight line for inches. 2. Turn right exactly . 3. Repeat these steps until the shape is closed.
Quick Check
Which of these is a 'precise' instruction: 'Put the toy away' or 'Put the toy in the red bin'?
Answer
Put the toy in the red bin.
A set of instructions given in a specific order is called a sequence. If you put the steps in the wrong order, the task will fail! Imagine trying to put on your shoes before your socks. It doesn't work! When we write for robots, we have to think about the logical flow. We break big tasks into tiny, 3-step chunks to make them easy to follow. This is the foundation of 'thinking like a robot.'
If you want a robot to give a high-five, you must order the steps correctly: 1. Raise the right arm until it is level with the shoulder ( angle). 2. Open the hand so the palm faces forward. 3. Wait for a sensor to feel a 'tap' before lowering the arm.
To make a robot jump over a small crack that is feet wide: 1. Increase motor speed to mph to run forward. 2. When the distance to the crack is foot, push off the ground with units of force. 3. Bend knees upon landing to absorb the impact.
What does it mean when we say a robot is 'literal'?
Which instruction is the most 'precise'?
In a sequence, the order of the steps does not matter.
Review Tomorrow
Tomorrow, try to explain to someone why a robot would fail to make a peanut butter sandwich if you forgot to tell it to 'open the jar.'
Practice Activity
Play the 'Human Robot' game: Give a friend exactly 3 steps to pick up a pencil from the floor. If they follow your steps literally and fail, try to fix your instructions!