彭蒙惠英语：Send in the Rescue Rats（在线收听） |
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Send in the Rescue Rats 2 The researchers train the rats to search for human odor by stimulating the reward center when it finds its target smell. Once the rats are trained, they are set to forage for the target smell, while electrodes record their neural activity patterns. This allows researchers to identify the brainwave patterns associated with finding that smell. They are also able to train the rats to sniff out the explosives TNT and RDX—key after terrorist attacks that may leave buildings harboring unexploded bombs. Signals from the rat’s brain are relayed to a radio transmitter pack strapped to the animal’s back. Rescuers are able to follow the rat’s position by tracking these signals. They are also developing software that will recognize the “aha!” moment when the rat has found its target, so rescuers will know where to start digging. Robots vs. rats Other teams looking at ways to seek people trapped under debris have designed wheeled, tracked or even snake-like robots that can slither into wrecked buildings. But rats have several advantages. “Artificial noses don’t work well when there are other smells around,” says Christiane Linster, an olfaction expert at Cornell University in New York. “Rats are good at that.” Rats are also adept at navigating over unexpected obstacles, and of course, they don’t need an electricity supply. Rats to the rescue Rescue teams welcome the idea. “It would be absolutely fantastic,” says Julie Ryan of International Rescue Corps in Scotland, which flies rescuers to disaster zones around the world. “A rat could get in voids and spaces we couldn’t get to. And a rat would try to get out if it didn’t feel safe.”
Vocabulary Focus forage (v) [5fCridV] to go from place to place searching for something, especially food harbor (v) [5hB:bE] to protect someone or something from detection by providing a hiding place relay (v) [5ri:lei] to broadcast a signal, message or program adept (adj) [E5dept] having a natural ability to do something that needs skill
老鼠救援队出场 2 研究人员在老鼠找到目标气味时会刺激它们的敏感中枢，这是他们训练老鼠搜寻人类气味的方式。老鼠训练成功之后，就会开始搜寻特定的气味，与此同时电极会记录下它们神经活动的类型。研究人员得以藉此辨别老鼠在找到特定气味时出现的脑电波模式。他们还能训练老鼠嗅出 TNT 及 RDX 等炸药的味道。在恐怖分子攻击行动过后，建筑物内可能仍藏有未爆炸弹，所以这项能力变得极为重要。 来自老鼠脑部的信号，会传送到固定在老鼠背上的无线电发射器。救援人员可以追踪这些信号以了解老鼠所在的位置。他们也在研发一种软件，希望可以掌握老鼠找到标的物时发出“哈！就是它！”的那一瞬间，这样救援人员就可以知道应该从哪里开始挖掘。 机器人与老鼠 还有一些其它的团队，同样也在研究搜寻困在瓦砾堆下幸存者的方法。他们设计出加装有轮子的、或有履带的、甚至外形像蛇的机器人，这些机器人可以蜿蜒滑入崩塌的建筑物中。但是，老鼠有好几方面胜过机器人。纽约康奈尔大学的嗅觉专家克莉斯蒂安·林斯特表示：“在掺有其它气味的环境中，人工鼻子的效果并不好。老鼠这方面则很厉害。”老鼠也可以灵活地克服预料之外的障碍，当然还有一点，那就是：它们不需要电力供应。 老鼠伸出援手 救援小组很喜欢这个点子。苏格兰国际救援组织经常运送救援人员至全球各灾区，成员之一的朱莉·莱恩说：“这简直太棒了。老鼠可以钻进我们无法进入的缝隙或空间里。而且如果老鼠觉得那里不安全，它们就会设法离开。” |
| 原文地址：http://www.tingroom.com/lesson/pengmenghui/26579.html |