Robot Ships Hunt for Sea Mines

In the news: The story

Read a 112-word news story: Robots Take the Risk Beneath the Waves

Ships crossing the Strait of Hormuz face a serious threat from attacks, and there may also be mines under the water. Traditional mine-hunting ships carry a large crew, so searching for mines can put many people at risk. Navies are now using autonomous boats and underwater machines, watched by people on land. They use sonar—sound sent through the water—to build a picture of the seabed. Software can help detect objects that may be mines, though no system can prove that a whole area is clear. These robots can be cheaper and easier to deploy than specialist ships, but people still need to judge the results and decide whether a route is safe.

Vocabulary: Words in the news

6 items

Discussion: Designing the search

2 discussion questions

• What would you want to know before trusting an autonomous machine to search an area?
• What other dangerous jobs might be better done by robots?

Discussion: Comfort with robots

2 discussion questions

• How comfortable would you feel letting a machine do an important task while people watched from far away?
• Have you ever used a machine or app that made you feel safer or saved you time? What was it like?

Discussion: People and technology

2 discussion questions

• How do you think robots might change dangerous work over the next twenty years?
• What should people consider before they deploy more autonomous systems in public places?