VOA常速英语2019--中风病人的福音：活动虚拟手臂有助于活动真实手臂（在线收听）

Making a Virtual Arm Move May Help a Real Arm Move With Stroke Patients

David Karchem remembers exactly when his life changed forever.

David Karchem 至今依旧记得那件改变他一生的时刻。 

It was actually ten years three months and three days ago.

“已经过去10年3个月3天了。” 

That’s when Karchem experienced a stroke while driving.

那一天，Karchem在开车时突发中风。 

He was able to pull over and get help, but the left side of his body was paralyzed.

他本能够靠边停车寻求帮助，但是他的身体左侧瘫痪了。 

While traditional physical therapy helped a little initially, brain computer interface and virtual reality are helping him regain movement more than ten years after his stroke.

传统的物理疗法一开始还有一点用，而中风十多年后，脑机接口和虚拟现实正在帮助他重新活动自己的身体。

If somebody can’t move their arm in the real world, we can augment that in the virtual world，

现实世界中，如果有人的手臂不能活动，我们可以帮助他们在虚拟世界中做到， 

and take their their bodies attempt to move and make it seem like they’re moving in the virtual world.

让他们的身体尝试着动起来，看起来就像是他们在虚拟世界中活动一样。 

Occupational therapists and neuroscientist Sook-Lei Liew says when someone has a stroke, there is a blockage in the brain that cuts off blood flow.

职业治疗师和神经科学家Sook-Lei Liew表示，人们中风时，大脑血管会堵塞。 

But virtual reality through brain computer interface may help encourage the brain to find new routes and bypass the blockage.

不过通过脑机接口，虚拟现实或许能够帮助大脑疏通血管，找到新的通路。 

In this study, electrodes are placed on the scalp and on the arm muscles.

在这项调查中，医生会把电极放在患者头皮和手臂肌肉上。 

They’re connected to the computer and this virtual world.

这些电极和电脑以及虚拟世界相连。 

The user has to try to move this virtual arm with their real arm or with their mind.

患者需要用自己的手臂或大脑来移动虚拟的手臂。 

We hope that showing them a virtual arm that moves that maybe they can feel like is a little bit of their own body.

“我们希望向他们展示可以移动的虚拟手臂能让他们觉得那是他们自己真实的身体。 

That helps to reinforce and kind of reward the motors attempt.

这能够人们的活跃运动神经。 

And then it should strengthen the brain activity related to controlling motor abilities.

还能够增强控制运动神经能力的大脑活动。 

Karchem says working with a virtual arm has helped him extend his arm and move his wrist and fingers.

Karchem说使用虚拟手臂拓展了他手臂的功能，还能让他的手腕和手指也都动起来。 

It improved my walking ability."

“我的行走能力提高了。” 

But Karchem says the positive effects of a session like this only lasts for a few months.

不过Karchem说这样的方法一个疗程下来，效果只有几个月。 

Researchers are working on a more portable version of this technology for participants to take home and continue studying how brain computer interface and VR can help stroke patients gain a better quality of life.

研究人员正在为参与者们研究一种更为轻便的版本，好让患者能够带回家。与此同时，他们也正在研究脑机接口和虚拟现实如何才能帮助中风病人过上更好的生活。