VOA慢速英语2015 机器人像猎豹一样快吗?

 

Robots as Fast as Cheetahs¹? 机器人像猎豹一样快吗?

Scientists have been experimenting with four-legged robots for years. They want the ability to use robots like pack animals to carry heavy loads over difficult areas of land.

But providing enough power for those kinds of robots has been a problem. Now, that has changed. Engineers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have designed a running robot that operates on batteries.

Scientists say their robots will soon be able to run like cheetahs, the fastest land animals on Earth. 

One difficulty in designing these types of robots continues to be providing power to operate them. These complex machines are still relatively² heavy. And their motors require a lot of energy to run.

The most powerful of these machines must be connected to an external power source. Others are run by gasoline placed in a container on the machine itself.

But engineers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, or MIT, have designed a cheetah-like robot that is light enough to run on batteries. The robot weighs just 30 kilograms.

Sangbae Kim is the director of the MIT Biomimetics Robotic Lab. He says the robot needs only about 700 watts³ of power to operate.

“This robot can actually jump 40 centimeters high and it can land very safely and then it can run, sprint⁴, because of the special motor technology we developed.”

The robot’s limbs⁶ and other parts were made in a three dimensional-- or 3-D—printer. A strong, light-weight plastic material called Kevlar is used to make the robot parts stronger. Kevlar is used for modern military helmets and protective body clothing.

“The frame has to be very light and very stiff⁷, so we designed this frame to handle these high forces and the high shock.”

Mr. Kim says another special feature is the motor controller. His team at MIT designed it themselves, he says, because no other available products could handle the robot’s power requirements.

But the development of MIT's robot is not without its own set of problems.  The robot’s limbs must support a great amount of force, and sometimes they break.

Researchers say the new technologies used on this robot may be used in the making of artificial limbs and other machines. Some of those machines may help save humans from performing difficult and dangerous jobs.

Words in This Story

motor – n. a machine that produces motion or power for doing work

limb⁵ – n. a leg or arm

pack animal - n. an animal (such as a horse or donkey) that is used for carrying packs

shock – n. a violent shake

1 cheetahs   

n.（奔跑极快的）非洲猎豹( cheetah的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Unlike lions or cheetahs, leopards are secretive, solitary cats. 花豹不像狮子或印度豹，是属于较神秘而隐居的大猫。 来自互联网
• Among this lot are cheetahs, lions, leopards, rhinoceroses, spotted hyenas and elephants. 印度豹、狮子、花豹、犀牛、斑点土狼、大象等，都是此地的居民。 来自互联网

2 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

3 watts   

（电力计量单位）瓦，瓦特( watt的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• My lamp uses 60 watts; my toaster uses 600 watts. 我的灯用60瓦，我的烤面包器用600瓦。
• My lamp uses 40 watts. 我的灯40瓦。

4 sprint   

n.短距离赛跑；vi. 奋力而跑，冲刺；vt.全速跑过

参考例句：

• He put on a sprint to catch the bus.他全速奔跑以赶上公共汽车。
• The runner seemed to be rallied for a final sprint.这名赛跑者似乎在振作精神作最后的冲刺。

5 limb   

n.树枝，四肢，枝干，边缘；vt.切断手足，切断树干

参考例句：

• She sat on a limb of the tree and looked down.她坐在一根大树枝上往下看。
• His refusal to agree left him out on a limb.他拒不表示同意，致使自己处于孤立地位。

6 limbs   

肢( limb的名词复数 )； 大树枝； 肢体

参考例句：

• For a while, she lost the use of her limbs. 好一会儿她四肢都动弹不得。
• The prisoner's limbs flailed violently because of the pain. 那囚犯因为疼痛，四肢剧烈地抖动着。

7 stiff   

adj.严厉的，激烈的，硬的，僵直的，不灵活的

参考例句：

• There is a sheet of stiff cardboard in the drawer.在那个抽屉里有块硬纸板。
• You have to push on the handle to turn it,becanse it's very stiff.手柄很不灵活，你必须用力推才能转动它。