VOA慢速英语2020 东京羽田机场引入自动行驶轮椅帮助有需要乘客

Call it a mobility¹ system or a wheelchair – it can be seen at the Tokyo airport moving on its own.

我们称之为具有机动性的系统或轮椅，它可以在东京机场自行行驶。

It is helping² with social distancing while fighting the spread of the coronavirus. It also helps older passengers and those who otherwise need assistance walking the last few steps to the boarding gate.

它有助于在对抗新冠病毒传播之际保持社交距离。它还可以帮助年长乘客以及需要协助的人士走完到登机口的最后一点路程。

The mobility system seats one person and runs on its own without hitting anything. It has a pre-programmed path of about 600 meters at Tokyo's Haneda International Airport. It was shown Monday by WHILL, the company behind the technology.

这种机动系统可以搭乘一个人并自行行驶，不会撞到任何东西。它在东京羽田国际机场有一条大约600米长的预编程道路。这项技术背后的WHILL公司在周一对此进行了展示。

WHILL Chief Executive Satoshi Sugie said robotics and self-driving technology reduce the need for a human at the wheel. They are good for these times of "living with" coronavirus.

WHILL公司的首席执行官Satoshi Sugie表示，机器人技术和自动驾驶技术减少了有人控制方向盘的需求。这对与新冠病毒共存的这个时期来说是极为有利的。

"We are...developing our business in order to help restore a world where people can enjoy moving around with peace of mind," he told The Associated Press.

他对美联社表示：“我们正在发展我们这项业务，以帮助恢复一个人们可以安心游玩的世界。”

The ride lasts several minutes. It travels from the security area to the boarding gate at a speed of 3.5 kilometers per hour. But many people hope the technology can help in other places, such as hospitals or parks. The technology uses sensors³ and cameras to see a clear path and avoid hitting those walking toward it.

这趟旅程会持续几分钟。它以每小时3.5公里的速度从安检区域行驶到登机口。但是许多人希望这项技术可以用于其它地方，例如医院或公园。该技术使用传感器和摄像头找出一条没有障碍的道路，并避免撞到那些迎面而来的行人。

It could also help Japan free up laborers⁵. Japan, like many other nations, suffers from a labor⁴ shortage. The technology could free a worker to do another job.

它还可以帮助日本解放劳动力。日本跟许多其它国家一样，遭受了劳动力短缺的困扰。这项技术可以解放出来一名员工去从事另一项工作。

Tests have been carried out at several airports since last year, including John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. The company hopes to put it in airports around the world.

自去年以来，它已经在包括纽约肯尼迪国际机场在内的几家机场进行了测试。该公司希望将其投放到世界各地的机场。

The person on the machine can start or stop it through a simple controller. It runs on batteries and is programmed to return to where it started when its passenger gets off.

机器上的乘客可以通过简单的控制器来启动或停止它。它依靠电池运行，并且被编程为乘客下车后驶回初始位置。

Anyone needing help walking long distances can use it at Terminal One at Haneda airport. It is called the "last-mile mobility," says WHILL.

任何需要长距离行走帮助的人士都可以在羽田机场一号航站楼使用它。SHILL公司表示，它被称为最后一英里的机动能力。

I'm Susan Shand.

我是苏珊·尚德。

1 mobility   

n.可动性，变动性，情感不定

参考例句：

• The difference in regional house prices acts as an obstacle to mobility of labour.不同地区房价的差异阻碍了劳动力的流动。
• Mobility is very important in guerrilla warfare.机动性在游击战中至关重要。

2 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

3 sensors   

n.传感器，灵敏元件( sensor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There were more than 2000 sensors here. 这里装有两千多个灵敏元件。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Significant changes have been noted where sensors were exposed to trichloride. 当传感器暴露在三氯化物中时，有很大变化。 来自辞典例句

4 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

5 laborers   

n.体力劳动者，工人( laborer的名词复数 )；（熟练工人的）辅助工

参考例句：

• Laborers were trained to handle 50-ton compactors and giant cranes. 工人们接受操作五十吨压土机和巨型起重机的训练。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Wage-labour rests exclusively on competition between the laborers. 雇佣劳动完全是建立在工人的自相竞争之上的。 来自英汉非文学 - 共产党宣言