← IGCSE Computer Science Paper 1

Deciding whether a device is a robot

Check a device for all three robot characteristics: mechanical structure, electrical components and a program. Then justify with 'because' and evidence from the description.

Part of: IGCSE Computer Science 0478 — 6.2 Robotics — Module 11

Understanding Deciding whether a device is a robot in IGCSE Computer Science Paper 1

What it does: The test needs all three characteristics, so a missing physical body means the answer is not a robot. The word 'because' links the verdict to evidence from all three characteristics, which is what the exam wants. A robot does not need to look human. The washing machine has a mechanical structure, electrical components (sensors, microprocessor, motors) and a program, so it passes the test. The answer uses weak evidence. It should check for a program as well as a body and electrical parts.

Common mistakes: A robot vacuum cleaner follows a program to decide where to clean, so has_program should be TRUE. With FALSE, the program would wrongly output 'robot'. A computer program with no body has no mechanical structure, so has_body must be FALSE. That missing body is the evidence that it is not a robot.

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Learning
Duo
A remote-control toy car has a body and motors, but a person steers it. It has no stored program. Is it a robot?
Yes, because it has a body and motorsNo, because it has no program
Matches
A washing machine is a robot because it has a motor
↓
Only one characteristic is checked. Having a motor (electrical component) is not enough; the answer must also check the structure and the program.
Applying
Meanings
Term
robot test
Meaning
Check a device for all three robot characteristics: mechanical structure, electrical components and a program. Then justify with 'because' and evidence from the description.
Practice
Device: robot vacuum cleaner
Testing
Gaps
IF hasProgram = THEN
Check Answer
Spots
3has_electrics = TRUE
4has_program = FALSE

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Quick Questions

1. A remote-control toy car has a body and motors, but a person steers it. It has no stored program. Is it a robot?
A. No, because it has no program ✓
B. Yes, because it has a body and motors
A robot must pass all three tests: mechanical structure, electrical components and a program. The toy car has the first two but is controlled by a person, so it fails the programmable test.
2. An automatic washing machine has a metal frame and drum, sensors, a microprocessor, motors and a stored wash program. What does the robot test show?
A. It passes all three characteristics ✓
B. It fails because it is not shaped like a person
A robot does not need to look human. The washing machine has a mechanical structure, electrical components (sensors, microprocessor, motors) and a program, so it passes the test.
3. A robot vacuum cleaner has wheels and a casing, sensors, a microprocessor, motors and a cleaning program. Which answer is correct?
A. It is a robot because it cleans the floor
B. It is a robot because it has a structure, electrical parts and a program ✓
Always justify with the three characteristics and evidence from the description. Doing a useful job is not one of the three tests.
4. A computer program can plan routes and make decisions, but it has no body. Is it a robot?
A. No, because it has no mechanical structure ✓
B. Yes, because it is programmable
Being programmable is only one of the three characteristics. A program with no body has no mechanical structure and no electrical components, so it fails the test.
5. How many of the three characteristics must a device have to be a robot?
A. Any one of them
B. All three ✓
A robot needs a mechanical structure, electrical components and a program. Missing even one means the device is not a robot.

Match the Pairs

Remote-control toy car: no program → Not a robot, because it has a body and electrical parts but no program; a person controls every move
Robot vacuum cleaner: senses, decides, moves → A robot, because it has a mechanical structure, electrical parts (sensors, microprocessor, motors) and a program
A computer program with no body is not a robot because it has no mechanical structure → IF device has no mechanical structure THEN not a robot
A good answer gives a verdict, then 'because' and evidence from the description → It is a robot because it has a body, electrical parts and a program
A washing machine is a robot because it has a motor → Only one characteristic is checked. Having a motor (electrical component) is not enough; the answer must also check the structure and the program.
A toy car is a robot because it moves → Moving does not make a device a robot. The car is controlled by a person and has no program, so it fails the test.

Key Term

robot test
Check a device for all three robot characteristics: mechanical structure, electrical components and a program. Then justify with 'because' and evidence from the description.

Fill in the Blanks

1. IF hasProgram = FALSE THEN OUTPUT "Toy car: not a robot" ENDIF
Hint: Type the Boolean value that shows the remote-control toy car has no program.
2. IF hasBody = FALSE THEN OUTPUT "Software only: not a robot" ENDIF
Hint: Type the operator that compares hasBody with a value, for a computer program with no body.
3. IF body AND circuits AND program THEN OUTPUT "Washing machine is a robot" ENDIF
Hint: Type the logic keyword that means all the robot characteristics must be true together.
4. IF body AND circuits AND program THEN OUTPUT "Robot vacuum is a robot" ENDIF
Hint: Type the keyword that displays the conclusion about the robot vacuum cleaner.
5. OUTPUT "Not a robot because it has no program"
Hint: Type the word that links your answer to the evidence from the description.

Spot the Error

Question 1
A device = "robot vacuum"
B has_body = TRUE
C has_electrics = TRUE
D has_program = FALSE
E OUTPUT "robot"
Line D — A robot vacuum cleaner follows a program to decide where to clean, so has_program should be TRUE. With FALSE, the program would wrongly output 'robot'.
Question 2
A device = "chess program"
B has_program = TRUE
C has_body = TRUE
D OUTPUT "no body, not a robot"
Line C — A computer program with no body has no mechanical structure, so has_body must be FALSE. That missing body is the evidence that it is not a robot.
Question 3
A device = "washing machine"
B has_body = FALSE
C has_electrics = TRUE
D has_program = TRUE
E OUTPUT "robot"
Line B — An automatic washing machine has a mechanical structure (a casing, a drum and moving parts), so has_body should be TRUE.
Question 4
A device = "remote toy car"
B has_body = TRUE
C has_program = TRUE
D OUTPUT "no program, not robot"
Line C — A remote-control toy car is driven by a person and has no program of its own, so has_program should be FALSE. That is why it fails the robot test.
Question 5
A device = "robot vacuum"
B has_all_three = TRUE
C IF has_all_three = FALSE THEN
D OUTPUT "it is a robot"
E ENDIF
Line C — A device passes the robot test only when it has all three characteristics. The test should check has_all_three = TRUE, not FALSE.

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