F2F Class Notes (Celeste) [R]

Read the rest of the article below at home. Be prepared to tell a summary in your next class or talk about the article. Also, practice the pronunciation.

Pronunciation

described ( describe – d )

manageable ( man ij uh bull )

tough ( tuff )

enigma ( N ig ma )

per se ( per say )

elite ( eh leet )

filled *** tongue can go behind your teeth for “ll” sound then “d” sound

origami ( or ih gaw mee )

science ( SCAI in sss )

scientist ( SCAI in tist )

create ( kree yate / kree ate  )

Soft, robotic muscles 1,000 times stronger

Scientists from elite universities have found a new way of creating artificial muscles. They called their discovery a “soft robot”. It weighs 2.6 grams and looks like a small water-filled bag. An origami-inspired framework gives it support and strength. This means it can lift something 1,000 times its own weight. This is like a newborn baby lifting a four-wheel-drive car. The ground-breaking discovery could benefit many areas of science and medicine.

The scientists work in the area of soft robotics. Their muscle takes 10 minutes to make and costs less than a dollar. A researcher hopes to create “softer” robots that are like humans. He said: “Humans are normally soft and brittle compared to the big industrial robots….The next step is to take this system and develop it into a fully functional robot.” It could be like the human hand – strong enough to grip an object, while being soft and gentle.