Insect-inspired robots
Read Insect-inspired robots and check the IELTS Reading answers. A tiny insect navigates its way across featureless salt-pans. A cockroach successfully works out how to scramble over an obstacle. The mantis shrimp scans its aquatic world through hyperspectral eyes. Using the most basic of equipment…
Passage preview
A tiny insect navigates its way across featureless salt-pans. A cockroach successfully works out how to scramble over an obstacle. The mantis shrimp scans its aquatic world through hyperspectral eyes. Using the most basic of equipment and brains tinier than a pin-head, insects constantly solve complex problems of movement, vision and navigation – processing data that would challenge a super-computer. How they do it is driving one of the most exciting new fields of technology – biomimetics and biorobotics, the imitation of insect systems to control man-made machines. Delegates at a recent conference presented some outcomes of their work in this area.
Vocabulary from this passage
10 words worth learning before you sit the test, each with the sentence it appears in.
- aloft adverb
Up in the air; overhead or in a high position above the ground
The glider remained aloft for hours by riding warm thermal currents rising from the valley.
- biomimetics noun
The design and production of materials, structures, and systems modeled on biological entities
Velcro is a classic example of biomimetics, inspired by the way burrs cling to dog fur.
- biorobotics noun
The field of study integrating robotics with biological systems to create bio-inspired machines
Recent breakthroughs in biorobotics have enabled the creation of prosthetic limbs that mimic human muscles.
- ethical implications noun
The potential consequences of an action or technology regarding moral principles and human values
Developing artificial intelligence raises serious ethical implications concerning user privacy and labor displacement.
- forage verb
To search widely for food, provisions, or resources in a wild environment
During the winter months, deer must forage deep in the forest for bark and twigs.
- orient verb
To align or position something relative to the points of a compass or surroundings
Migrating birds use the Earth's magnetic field to orient themselves during long-distance flights.
- photoreceptor noun
A specialized structure or light-sensitive cell that reacts to light falling on it
The human retina contains millions of photoreceptors that convert light into signals for the brain.
- polarised light noun
Light waves in which the vibrations occur in a single plane, useful for navigation
Many marine animals can detect polarised light to find food or navigate through murky water.
- reciprocally adverb
In a mutual or corresponding way; alternating in direction or moving back and forth
The pistons in an engine move reciprocally to convert chemical energy into mechanical power.
- traverse verb
To travel across or through a physical area, path, or complex terrain
The explorers had to traverse a treacherous mountain pass to reach the isolated valley.
Answers with explanations
- 27. F
The prompt asks for **positive and negative possibilities** for the use of insect-inspired robots. Section **F** details both concerns over negative uses (such as '**military**' applications) and positive predictions (robots serving as '**cleaners and collectors**' or ocean sensors). Thus, **F** is the correct match.
- 28. B
The prompt asks how **perceived size** is used as an aid to **navigation**. Section **B** explains that landmarks are '**scaled, from small to large**', allowing the robot to recognize if it is getting '**closer to or further away**' from them. This describes size being used as a navigational cue, so **B** is correct.
- 29. E
The prompt seeks an example of **decision-making** taking place in the **limbs**. Section **E** details how a cockroach-inspired robot relies on its '**legs**' (limbs) to '**do a lot of the thinking**' without consulting the brain. This perfectly describes localized decision-making, making **E** the correct answer.
- 30. D
The prompt asks for a description of an aid in **space exploration**. Section **D** introduces Robert Michelson's flying robot, the 'Entomopter', which is designed to hover and navigate in the thin atmosphere of '**Mars**'. Since Mars exploration is a form of space exploration, **D** is the correct paragraph.
- 31. A
The prompt asks for the **range of skills** that have inspired **biorobotics**. Section **A** introduces the entire field, stating that insects solve complex problems in '**movement, vision and navigation**', which are the main biological skills being copied. Thus, **A** is the correct paragraph.
- 32. C
The prompt asks how a **variety of navigational methods** operate **simultaneously**. Section **C** explains how the Cataglyphis ant uses polarised light, distance measurement, and path integration. It states these represent '**many separate sub-routines going on simultaneously**', making **C** the correct match.
- 33. mantis shrimp
The question asks which creature sees well **under water**. The text states that the '**mantis shrimp**' scans its '**aquatic world**' (which means underwater) through hyperspectral eyes. Thus, '**mantis shrimp**' is the correct noun phrase.
- 34. ["a panoramic camera","panoramic camera"]
The question asks what other **technical equipment** besides a computer is on Zelinsky's robot. The text notes that the robot recognizes landmarks individually using a '**panoramic camera**' (or '**a panoramic camera**'). This fits perfectly as the noun phrase.
- 35. ["the Sahara Desert","Sahara Desert"]
The question asks for the location where the Cataglyphis ant is found. The text states that Professor Wehner journeys to '**the Sahara Desert**' (or '**Sahara Desert**') to study the ant. This is the correct noun phrase.
- 36. polarised light
The question asks for the **atmospheric effect** that helps the ant find its direction. The text states that the ant uses '**polarised light**', which is caused when air molecules scatter light, to steer itself. Thus, '**polarised light**' is the exact correct noun phrase.
- 37. B
The prompt asks to match a researcher to a robot that uses **light** and **stored images** to navigate. **Professor Ruediger Wehner** (Option **B**) built the 'Sahabot' which navigates using **polarised sunlight** and compares landmarks to those in **memory** (stored images). This makes **B** the correct match.
- 38. D
The prompt asks to match the researchers who built a robot that can move over **difficult surfaces**. **Roger Quinn and Professor Roy Ritzmann** (Option **D**) created robotic walkers designed to traverse rugged terrain and **rough terrain** (difficult surfaces), making **D** the correct match.
- 39. A
The prompt asks for a robot that **categorises information** based on how **useful** it is. This matches the work of **Dr Alex Zelinsky** (Option **A**), whose robot sorts landmarks in its computer based on how '**reliable they are as navigational aids**', making **A** the correct match.
- 40. C
The prompt asks to match a researcher who built a robot that **improved on the insect's ability**. **Professor Robert Michelson** (Option **C**) is described as having '**gone beyond nature**' to design the 'Entomopter', a machine whose wing design offers superior lift. This makes **C** the correct match.