A New Kind of Helper in the Hospital

Earlier this week, in a hospital in Boston, something exciting happened. Doctors and nurses welcomed a new team member to help care for patients. But this helper isn’t a person—it’s a robot! This news comes from a story that was shared this year, in the month of October.

The robot’s name is “Moxi,” and it was designed to be a helpful assistant. Moxi doesn’t look like a person from a movie; it has a tall, slim body with one long arm and wheels to move around quietly. Its job is to do simple, important tasks so that the human nurses have more time to spend directly with patients.

For example, Moxi can deliver clean towels, sheets, and small medical supplies to different rooms. It can also pick up and deliver lab samples, like blood tests, from one part of the hospital to another. This is a big help because nurses are very busy. They check on patients, give medicine, and comfort people who are feeling scared or sick. By having Moxi handle the deliveries, nurses can focus on these caring jobs.

How does Moxi know where to go? The robot uses special sensors and a digital map of the hospital, kind of like a super-smart video game map. It can glide down hallways, avoid bumping into people or carts, and even use an elevator by itself! When it arrives at its destination, a small light blinks, and a nurse or doctor can take the items from its drawer.

The hospital staff says Moxi is not a replacement for people. It is a tool, just like a computer or an X-ray machine. Its purpose is to support the hardworking medical team. The doctors and nurses who work with Moxi say it allows them to do their most important work: talking to patients, holding a hand, and making sure everyone feels cared for.

This use of technology in healthcare shows how science and kindness can work together. It’s a positive step toward helping hospitals run smoothly and making sure patients get the best attention possible. While robots like Moxi are new, they are becoming more common in places that want to help people in smart, efficient ways. It’s a real-world example of innovation—finding a new and better way to solve a problem.

Reading Comprehension Questions

Read the questions carefully and choose the best answer (A, B, C, or D).

1. What is the main idea of this passage?
A) Robots are taking over all jobs in hospitals.
B) A robot named Moxi is assisting nurses by doing delivery tasks.
C) Boston has the most advanced hospitals in the world.
D) Nurses do not like using new technology.

2. When did the news about Moxi the robot happen?
A) Last year
B) Earlier this week, in October of this year
C) Five years ago
D) Next month

3. According to the passage, what is one specific job Moxi can do?
A) Perform surgery on patients
B) Deliver clean towels and lab samples
C) Decide what medicine a patient needs
D) Cook meals for the hospital

4. How does Moxi find its way around the hospital?
A) A nurse pushes it everywhere.
B) It uses sensors and a digital map.
C) It follows a specific person all day.
D) It guesses which way to go.

5. Why does the passage say Moxi is a positive development?
A) Because it is cheaper than a human.
B) Because it lets nurses spend more time on direct patient care.
C) Because it makes the hospital look like the future.
D) Because it can work 24 hours without a break.

Vocabulary List

Here are five words from the passage with their definitions.

Assistant (noun): A person or thing that helps someone do a job.
Supplies (noun): Things that are needed for a particular purpose, like tools or materials.
Sensors (noun): Devices that detect or sense things like light, movement, or objects nearby.
Destination (noun): The place to which someone or something is going.
Innovation (noun): A new method, idea, or product; inventing something useful.

Answer Key & Analysis

Correct Answers: