魔性新配方：镀金洋葱做机器人仿真皮肤

 　　By applying the electricity at different voltages to gold-painted onion skin, the material moved like a real muscle.

　　给镀金的洋葱表皮施加不同电压的电流，这种材料便会如同真实的肌肉那样收缩。

　　Scientists say that artificial muscles for robots can be made by covering onions in gold.

　　科学家们认为镀金的洋葱(皮)能成为机器人的人造肌肉。

　　The humble¹ vegetable's skin can stretch and flex² like real tissue which previous artificial muscles have been unable to emulate³.

　　这种普通蔬菜的表皮能像真的肌肉组织那样伸展和收缩，而之前的那些人造肌肉都没能模仿出这一特性。

　　By coating the skin in a film of gold, scientists can then apply an electrical current to it using special equipment to make it expand and contract.

　　科学家们将洋葱表皮两面镀金，然后用特殊设备向它施加电流，便能让它延展、收缩。

　　魔性新配方：镀金洋葱做机器人仿真皮肤

　　In the tests, scientists took a single layer of skin and washed it, before freeze drying it to remove all water.

　　在测试中，科学家们取下单层洋葱皮洗净，然后用冷冻干燥法去除全部水分。

　　It was then treated with a special protein to make it brittle⁴, before the gold was painted on.

　　在此之后，他们用一种特殊的蛋白质处理洋葱皮，使其变脆，再为其镀金。

　　By applying the electricity at different voltages at the bottom and top, the onion skin moved like a real muscle.

　　科学家们在洋葱皮的底部和顶部施以不同电压的电流，便观察到洋葱皮如同真肌肉那样做伸缩运动了。

　　At the moment, high voltages need to be used which will be a problem if they are to be implemented⁵ in robots and other automated⁶ tools.

　　此刻需要用到高电压，但若是把洋葱皮运用到机器人和其他自动化工具中，这将成为一大问题。

　　The team behind the discovery, from National Taiwan University, will now look at whether a similar technique using lower voltages is feasible.

　　做出这一发现的团队来自台湾国立大学（National Taiwan University），他们现在将研究在较低的电压下，类似的技巧是否可行。

　　Other issues that need to be resolved are making the onion skin more durable⁷ and water-resistant.

　　其他需要解决的问题则是要让洋葱表皮更加持久和防水。

　　Artificial muscles have been created before using live muscle tissue, but they have to be kept alive - a problem that using vegetable tissue sidesteps.

　　科学家们在使用活肌肉组织之前便创造了人造肌肉。可是它们必须一直保持活性。使用植物组织恰好回避了这个问题。

1 humble   

adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低

参考例句：

• In my humble opinion,he will win the election.依我拙见，他将在选举中获胜。
• Defeat and failure make people humble.挫折与失败会使人谦卑。

2 flex   

n.皮线，花线；vt.弯曲或伸展

参考例句：

• We wound off a couple of yards of wire for a new lamp flex.我们解开几码电线作为新的电灯花线。
• He gave his biceps a flex to impress the ladies.他收缩他的肱二头肌以吸引那些女士们的目光。

3 emulate   

v.努力赶上或超越，与…竞争；效仿

参考例句：

• You must work hard to emulate your sister.你必须努力工作，赶上你姐姐。
• You must look at the film and try to emulate his behavior.你们必须观看这部电影，并尽力模仿他的动作。

4 brittle   

adj.易碎的；脆弱的；冷淡的；(声音)尖利的

参考例句：

• The pond was covered in a brittle layer of ice.池塘覆盖了一层易碎的冰。
• She gave a brittle laugh.她冷淡地笑了笑。

5 implemented   

v.实现( implement的过去式和过去分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• This agreement, if not implemented, is a mere scrap of paper. 这个协定如不执行只不过是一纸空文。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The economy is in danger of collapse unless far-reaching reforms are implemented. 如果不实施影响深远的改革，经济就面临崩溃的危险。 来自辞典例句

6 automated   

a.自动化的

参考例句：

• The entire manufacturing process has been automated. 整个生产过程已自动化。
• Automated Highway System (AHS) is recently regarded as one subsystem of Intelligent Transport System (ITS). 近年来自动公路系统(Automated Highway System,AHS)，作为智能运输系统的子系统之一越来越受到重视。

7 durable   

adj.持久的，耐久的

参考例句：

• This raincoat is made of very durable material.这件雨衣是用非常耐用的料子做的。
• They frequently require more major durable purchases.他们经常需要购买耐用消费品。