VOA标准英语2014--尚未做好让机器人进入家庭的准备,但是越来越近了!

 

Robots Not Ready for Homes, But Getting Closer 尚未做好让机器人进入家庭的准备,但是越来越近了!

Robots are not ready to take their place in our homes. But they are getting better at working closely with humans in industrial settings. That was very evident at this year’s International Conference of Robotics and Automation in Hong Kong.

In 2000, Japanese engineers stunned¹ the world with their humanoid robot Asimo, which could walk, run and grasp both hard and soft objects.

Fourteen years later, robots are still not ready to help out in our homes, but many mechanical and electrical solutions first applied² in those experimental platforms are now being used in industry and medicine.

Different mechanical arms and hands are being designed for jobs that require not only greater strength and precision than human hands, but are also safe to operate around people.

Barrett Technology's robotic arm mimics³ any move done by a human-operated arm, down to the the strength of the grip.

“You can control forces on a person," he said. "You can control the forces that are being applied by a person. So it’s great for rehabilitation⁴, for physical therapy, for surgery, that type of thing.”

A robot called Baxter is very good at learning even complicated operations, with no need for special software.

General Manager at Shanghai Gaitech Scientific Instruments, Jenssen Chang, says robots like these will increasingly replace humans at menial jobs.

“At the same time, you can train the people to do something advanced. This is the so-called development for society,” he said.

This little robot can locate and kick a soccer ball. While it cannot do much more, research engineer Jason Jin says it can surely get elementary school students interested in robotics.

“Robotics is an integrated kind of subject, including electronics, mechanics and computer science, etc.," he said. "So it has great educational use. Now, after the development of robotics, we can provide children with some more suitable learning tools.”

By the time those children become robotic engineers, they may be improving robots that are then at work in our homes.

1 stunned   

adj. 震惊的，惊讶的 动词stun的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• The fall stunned me for a moment. 那一下摔得我昏迷了片刻。
• The leaders of the Kopper Company were then stunned speechless. 科伯公司的领导们当时被惊得目瞪口呆。

2 applied   

adj.应用的；v.应用，适用

参考例句：

• She plans to take a course in applied linguistics.她打算学习应用语言学课程。
• This cream is best applied to the face at night.这种乳霜最好晚上擦脸用。

3 mimics   

n.模仿名人言行的娱乐演员，滑稽剧演员( mimic的名词复数 )；善于模仿的人或物v.（尤指为了逗乐而）模仿( mimic的第三人称单数 )；酷似

参考例句：

• Methods:Models were generate by CT scan,Mimics software and Abaqus software. 方法：采用CT扫描，Mimics软件和Abaqus软件的CAD进行三维有限元模型的创建。 来自互联网
• Relaxing the mind and body mimics the effect that some blood-pressure pills would have. 放松身心会产生某些降压药才能产生的效果。 来自辞典例句

4 rehabilitation   

n.康复，悔过自新，修复，复兴，复职，复位

参考例句：

• He's booked himself into a rehabilitation clinic.他自己联系了一家康复诊所。
• No one can really make me rehabilitation of injuries.已经没有人可以真正令我的伤康复了。