| Date | May 2021 | Marks available | 2 | Reference code | 21M.1.SL.TZ0.4 |
| Level | SL | Paper | 1 | Time zone | no time zone |
| Command term | Identify | Question number | 4 | Adapted from | N/A |
Question
Pepper
Pepper is a social robot that uses natural language processing, as well as voice recognition, to understand what is being said. Pepper can also identify basic human emotions by analysing verbal and non-verbal clues (see Figure 1).
Figure 1: Pepper the social robot
[Source: Wikipedia, 2019. Pepper (robot). [image] Available at:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pepper_(robot). Accessed 21 March 2019.]
Pepper has multiple sensors and a battery that lasts for 12 hours and is equipped with wireless connectivity. Pepper is released in batches of a thousand, and they usually sell out immediately.
Software developers can create new apps for Pepper, as the robot has a generic profile. So far, Pepper has been successfully used on cruise ships, in homes in Japan, and with the elderly in the United Kingdom. However, Pepper could not answer questions from customers in supermarkets in some parts of the USA and Latin America.
Pepper uses machine learning to improve its natural language processing.
In addition to a voice sensor, identify two sensors that would be found in Pepper.
Outline two reasons why Pepper could not answer a customer’s question in a supermarket.
Identify two advantages of using unsupervised learning to enable Pepper to improve its natural language processing.
Identify two disadvantages of using unsupervised learning to enable Pepper to improve its natural language processing.
Pepper is released in batches of a thousand, and they usually sell out immediately.
Explain one reason why Pepper is only released in relatively small batches.
King Robotics is planning to use social robots in schools. The robots will use a unique approach called care receiving. In this approach to teaching, the robot does not directly instruct the student; instead, the robot makes mistakes and asks the student for help to correct them. Early studies have found that children respond very positively to this approach. The robots will also be able to carry out direct teaching activities.
Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of using social robots such as Pepper to support the care-receiving teaching approach as well as carry out direct teaching activities.
Markscheme
Answers may include:
- Proximity sensor (to avoid obstacles)
- Navigation sensor
Award [1] for each sensor identified up to [3] marks.
Answers may include:
- The developers of Pepper did not train Pepper beyond the most commonly used dialects/accents…
- therefore, there may be groups of people whose accent is outside Pepper’s range of words, etc.
- Pepper was not programmed with basic information at the store…
- such as the location of various items.
- Pepper was not tested with stakeholders, i.e., customers in the store…
- so designers were unable to ensure that Pepper could answer the customer’s questions.
Award [1] for each reason why Pepper could not answer a customer’s question in a supermarket and [1] for a development of that reason up to maximum of [2] marks.
Answers may include:
- Less time-consuming than supervised learning
- Can occur in real time
Award [1] for each advantage of using unsupervised learning identified up to [2] max.
Answers may include:
- Dependent on the software to define the labels
- Less accurate than supervised learning
Award [1] for each disadvantage of using unsupervised learning identified up to [2] max.
Answers may include:
- To accommodate feedback from customers into the next production schedule…
- to allow Pepper to evolve more rapidly.
- To accommodate software/hardware updates…
- to stay ahead of the competition (which would not always be possible with larger batches).
Award [1] for identifying a reason why Pepper is released in small batches and [1] for a development of that reason up to [2] max.
Answers may include:
Advantages:
- Students often respond better to robots, as they are very motivating. For example, students who are very shy often respond to robots (expression, identity).
- Robots that make mistakes may help with children who have special educational needs, such as those with autism (expression, identity).
- By teaching a robot that is less intelligent, children can reinforce their own learning. We learn by teaching others (expression, identity).
- The robot’s need will inspire care-taking behaviour in the children (expression, identity).
- Students will want to play with the robot and will feel less pressured to perform correctly (expression, identity).
- Robots can provide individual attention, so students can learn at their own pace (identity).
- Robots can co-exist with teachers in the classroom. serving as assistants.
- If there is a shortage of teachers, robots can fill in the gap, especially for teaching repetitive material.
- Robots do not have emotions, so they are not affected by health or emotional issues (reliability).
Disadvantages:
- Robots can’t inspire students the way human teachers can. They can’t teach with passion and emotion (values).
- Robots can’t respond to children being nervous, upset, excited or loud (values).
- Robots can’t create opportunities for students to collaborate and work together in the classroom.
- Robots may lead to privacy concerns, as they can record the student’s actions and voice.
- Teachers have responsibilities and a duty of care, which robots cannot take over.
- Teachers may not trust the robots and therefore won’t allow them in the classroom.
- Students may not trust the robot and therefore will not participate.
- Cost – robots are likely to have a high cost to buy and maintain.
- Cost – a team will be needed to control the robot if it stops working, and fixing certain parts will be costly to the school (systems).
- Robots could lead to a reduction in staffing (change, automation).
- Robots may not understand what a student is saying (accents, volume level, etc.), and students may become frustrated (systems).
- Robots may malfunction, run out of power, etc. (systems).
In part (c) of this question it is expected there will be a balance between the terminology related to digital systems and the terminology related to social and ethical impacts.
Keywords: innovation, learning, pedagogy, robot, social robot, autonomous, evolution, trust, automation, change, expression, identity, systems, values
Refer to SL/HL paper 1, part c markbands when awarding marks. These can be found under the "Your tests" tab > supplemental materials > Digital society markbands and guidance document.
Examiners report
Syllabus sections
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19M.1.SL.TZ0.3a.i:
In addition to adaptable font size, identify two features of the e-voting graphical user interface (GUI) that could be customized to make it accessible for all voters.
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19M.2.SL.TZ0.4:
To what extent do you agree that the advantages of implanting microchips in humans outweigh the concerns? Use all the sources and your own knowledge.
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22M.1.SL.TZ0.2a.i:
Identify three sensors that may be used to detect data about the weather conditions.
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21N.1.HL.TZ0.6:
Smart warehouse
Greenwood Industries’ warehouse uses a smart storage solution for the picking of products from the shelves of the warehouse. Robots are used in this automated picking process.
Currently, these robots are programmed to access a knowledge base* that enables these robots to use the most efficient route for the picking of products.
Greenwood Industries claims the picking process would be improved if the expert system was replaced by an artificial neural network (ANN).
Discuss whether Greenwood Industries should replace the existing system with one that uses an artificial neural network (ANN).
* knowledge base: a set of rules that are manually input into an expert system.
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20N.1.SL.TZ0.3c:
The development of mobile health apps has changed the way citizens manage their own health and well-being.
Discuss whether citizens like Jaime should rely only on the advice of a health app to manage their own health and well-being.
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18M.3.HL.TZ0.3:
The students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) want to be included in school activities and have appropriate access to the curriculum.
The two interventions influence a student’s identity in the classroom.
Evaluate the impact of educational digital technologies, such as social robots and assistive technologies, on the identity of students with SEND in Tayton School.
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17N.1.SL.TZ0.4a.i:
Identify two sensors that Robbi could use.
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18N.1.HL.TZ0.5:
App or intuition?
Apps have been developed that allow a customer to submit a trip request to a taxi company on their smartphone. These apps allow the customer to select the starting point and final destination of the journey as well as add other information, such as the time of journey and number of passengers.
The developers of the taxi journey app claim it can capture the real-time details of a journey, including the starting point, route, distance travelled, the speed of the car and the final destination. The app integrates this information with real-time traffic information, such as closed roads or accidents. Fares can be estimated before the journey, and the customer can pay digitally with their credit card or by PayPal.
Some traditional taxi drivers in cities such as Paris and Rio de Janeiro have campaigned against the introduction of these apps in taxi companies. Based on previous journeys recorded by the app, the taxi company recommends that their taxi drivers rely on the taxi journey app rather than their own knowledge of the city when determining the best route.
Discuss whether the taxi driver should rely on the taxi journey app, rather than their own knowledge of the city, when determining the best route.
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18M.1.HL.TZ0.5:
Can digital technologies be used sustainably?
Many organizations claim that the most efficient use of information technology (IT) equipment, such as laptops and printers, is to replace them on a regular basis. For example, an organization’s strategy may be to do this every three years.
Other organizations purchase IT equipment that can easily be upgraded by increasing the storage and memory or upgrading the processing capabilities only when required. They claim they do not need to replace their IT equipment on such a regular basis and believe this is a more sustainable practice.
Evaluate the sustainability of these two strategies.
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20N.1.SL.TZ0.4a.ii:
Identify two sensors that the passenger’s bracelet may use.
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19N.1.SL.TZ0.3b:
There are two possible methods for ensuring students use the TailorEd online learning system responsibly. They are:
- restricting access to sites that may be considered inappropriate
- educating the students about acceptable use.
Analyse these two methods.
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19M.3.HL.TZ0.2a:
Explain how Miketon Town Council could encourage its citizens to use the ride-sharing app.
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18M.3.HL.TZ0.4:
With reference to the stimulus material and your own inquiries, recommend whether Tayton School should use social robots and/or assistive technologies to ensure students with SEND can be further integrated into the school.
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19M.3.HL.TZ0.1b:
Identify two characteristics of ride-sharing apps that have made them popular
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19M.1.SL.TZ0.1a.i:
Identify two characteristics of a haptic interface.
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19M.1.HL.TZ0.5:
How to appropriately interact in an online environment
Increasing numbers of parents are claiming digital technologies that monitor online activities are the best way to protect their children from offensive content. A number of companies, such as mSpy and Qustodio, have developed online monitoring apps.
Other parents claim it is not necessary to monitor their children’s online behaviour, preferring to encourage their children to develop the knowledge and skills to make appropriate choices.
Parents can consider two different interventions to ensure their children use the online environment appropriately:
- Monitor their children’s online behaviour using apps
- Encourage their children to develop the knowledge and skills to use the online environment and make appropriate choices.
With reference to real-life scenarios, evaluate these two interventions.
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21N.1.SL.TZ0.1a.i:
Identify two hardware devices that Rajesh could use to view his internet protocol television (IPTV) channels.
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21N.1.HL.TZ0.5:
Smart farming
A government in East Africa is using the expertise of scientists at a university in the region to promote the culture of smart farming and increase the productivity of farmers (see Figure 5). To do this, they have developed an app that the farmers can use to assist them in their decision-making.
Figure 5: An example of farming in East Africa
[Palmer, N., 2010. A farmer at work in Kenya’s Mount Kenya region [image] [online] Available at: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2DU_Kenya_86_(5367322642).jpg (CC BY-SA 2.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en [Accessed 18 May 2020].]
Unfortunately, the scientists who developed the app have received many complaints from farmers who have been unable to use it. They are considering two options:
- making the existing system more user-friendly
- educating the farmers to use the existing system.
The scientists claim by making changes to the app it will make the app more user-friendly for the farmers. However, the farmers claim it would be better to provide them with education, such as training, so they can use the existing app.
Evaluate these two claims.
