Kanda really doesn't like to walk alone. The scientist from a research institute of intelligent robots finds the experience so boring that he'd rather drive—even though he lives close to his lab and knows that walking us healthy. "I enjoy walking with someone, like with my wife, with my daughter," Kanda said. "But they are not always available."

So Kanda, who specializes in human-like bots, developed a robotic walking partner that could make small talk based on its surroundings, which, he hopes, might motivate people to get out and exercise more. The bot rests on a person's shoulder like a boxy parrot. It weighs about a pound and a half and sits roughly 8.5 inches high, 3.5inches wide, and 10 inches long. A microphone, speaker, and internal camera allow it to communicate. It's even equipped with a smile.

Kanda and his team collected video form five different locations, including a garden and a shopping mall, and created a dataset of small talk topics related to each location. Then they programmed the robot to associate visual cues with specific topics. A special speech software provided the robot with a voice. Near a group of parked cars, for example, it might say, "In a big parking lot, sometimes I forget where I parked."

They tested the robot on 15 volunteers, 10 males and 5 females, who were paid and averaged about 26 years old. "Have you ever blown a puff of dandelion（蒲公英）seeds into the air?" The robot asked a participant, who smiled and responded, "Yes, I often did that when I was a child." Although several participants noted the robot's weight, Kanda was surprised that no one considered the experience as strange or funny. "I guess people enjoy new technologies," he said.

Just like a human partner, Kanda's bot isn't perfect. It's not able to go for walks in heavy rain and, while the robot can make expressions, it can't really hold a conversation, about which Kanda is most worried. Despite its limits, Kanda was comforted by the bot's presence. "I felt a kind of sense of being with someone, "he said, "particularly when it spoke."

1.Why does Kanda have the idea of developing a robotic walking partner?

A. Because he wants someone to accompany him while walking.

B. Because he has never developed a robot like a parrot.

C. Because his family are unwilling to walk with him.

D. Because he is crazy about developing robots.

2.What characteristic does the robot have?

A. It can "speak" and "see".

B. It can walk like a human being.

C. It can communicate with people freely.

D. It is much more humorous than a real person.

3.What is necessary for the robot to function?

A. A small size.

B. A boxy shape.

C. A human partner.

D. A speech software.

4.What is Kanda most likely to do about his robot next?

A. To make it more convenient to carry.

B. To improve its conversational skills.

C. To enable it to walk in heavy rain.

D. To better its sound system.

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