VOA科学技术2023--Top Technology Stories of 2023

 

Top Technology Stories of 2023

The past year marked the rise of ChatGPT and other artificial intelligence (AI) tools. But here is a look back at some of the other noteworthy technology stories we covered in 2023.

Google, Apple face major legal challenges

Both Apple and Google faced lawsuits² accusing them of carrying out unfair business methods linked to their app stores. The cases might cost the companies billions of dollars and change the way similar app stores do business.

A decision in the Google case was reached earlier this month when an American jury found Google's app store operates as an illegal monopoly. The case was brought by video game company Epic³ Games.

One of the main questions in the case was whether Google had the right to require app developers to use Google's app store's payment systems. The jury ruled Google's monopoly covered both its app selling system and payment processing within the app. Google condemned⁴ the decision and appealed the ruling.

Epic brought a similar lawsuit¹ against iPhone maker⁵ Apple that was decided⁶ in April. In that case, a judge in California mostly sided with Apple. But the judge did order Apple to permit developers to add their own links to process payments within iPhone apps.

EV battery technology and production

The worldwide demand for electric vehicle (EV) batteries continues to grow. But supplies of the materials used to make them are limited. Currently, China controls most mining and processing of a group of 17 metals known as rare earths.

One of the main materials used to produce the batteries is lithium, a light metal substance. Other necessary materials include the metallic⁷ elements cobalt, manganese and nickel. Even though some of the minerals are mined in nations outside China, Chinese companies still hold ownership over the operations.

In an effort to avoid a dependence⁸ on Chinese controlled materials, the United States and other countries are seeking to mine and process more materials at home.

In February, U.S. President Joe Biden announced federal assistance programs to help companies mine and process lithium and other rare metals. Similar efforts were announced in other countries, including Britain and Germany.

In addition, major automakers said they were seeking new EV engine designs that are less dependent on rare earth minerals. EV market leader Tesla said it plans to remove rare earths from its next-generation EVs. Other automakers said they are in the process of researching or developing EV motors that use little or no rare earth minerals. These include General Motors, Jaguar⁹ Land Rover, and BMW.

Robotic developments

We covered several developments involving robotic systems.

A team of American researchers announced it had built a human-like robot that can play soccer at a high level. The robot, named ARTEMIS, is one of only a few humanoid robots that can run. It also can walk and jump on different kinds of surfaces without losing its balance. The robot also can kick a ball and remain standing¹⁰ even when kicked or hit, the team said.

In Germany, many companies – large and small – turned to robots to fill jobs as the country faced a severe labor¹¹ shortage. The International Federation¹² of Robotics estimated that about 26,000 robotic machines were put into use in Germany last year. Experts say increasing robotic operations are a sign that robots have become easier to use, with no special skills required.

However, the risks of using machines in the workplace were demonstrated in South Korea, where an industrial robot crushed a worker to death at a vegetable processing center. Police said the victim was an employee of a company that deploys¹³ industrial robots to businesses.

NASA even tested a snake-like explorer designed to search for signs of life in hard-to-reach places. The American space agency said the robot is equipped to move in ways that traditional explorer vehicles, called rovers, cannot. In the future, NASA plans to send the robot to space to search for signs of life in an underground ocean on Saturn's moon Enceladus.

Words in This Story

app – n. a small computer program that can be put onto a mobile phone or other electronic device

monopoly – n. complete control of the entire supply of goods or of a service in a certain area or market

battery –n. a device that chemically stores electricity so it can be used as direct current in electrical circuits such as computers and motors

1 lawsuit   

n.诉讼，控诉

参考例句：

• They threatened him with a lawsuit.他们以诉讼威逼他。
• He was perpetually involving himself in this long lawsuit.他使自己无休止地卷入这场长时间的诉讼。

2 lawsuits   

n.诉讼( lawsuit的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Lawsuits involving property rights and farming and grazing rights increased markedly. 涉及财产权，耕作与放牧权的诉讼案件显著地增加。 来自辞典例句
• I've lost and won more lawsuits than any man in England. 全英国的人算我官司打得最多，赢的也多，输的也多。 来自辞典例句

3 epic   

n.史诗，叙事诗；adj.史诗般的，壮丽的

参考例句：

• I gave up my epic and wrote this little tale instead.我放弃了写叙事诗，而写了这个小故事。
• They held a banquet of epic proportions.他们举行了盛大的宴会。

4 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

5 maker   

n.制造者，制造商

参考例句：

• He is a trouble maker，You must be distant with him.他是个捣蛋鬼，你不要跟他在一起。
• A cabinet maker must be a master craftsman.家具木工必须是技艺高超的手艺人。

6 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

7 metallic   

adj.金属的；金属制的；含金属的；产金属的；像金属的

参考例句：

• A sharp metallic note coming from the outside frightened me.外面传来尖锐铿锵的声音吓了我一跳。
• He picked up a metallic ring last night.昨夜他捡了一个金属戒指。

8 dependence   

n.依靠，依赖；信任，信赖；隶属

参考例句：

• Doctors keep trying to break her dependence of the drug.医生们尽力使她戒除毒瘾。
• He was freed from financial dependence on his parents.他在经济上摆脱了对父母的依赖。

9 jaguar   

n.美洲虎

参考例句：

• He was green with envy when he saw my new Jaguar car.看见我那辆美洲虎牌新车，他非常妒忌。
• Should you meet a jaguar in the jungle,just turn slowly,walk away.But slowly,never look back.你在丛林中若碰上美洲虎，就慢慢转身走开，可一定要慢，切莫回头看。

10 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

11 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。

12 federation   

n.同盟，联邦，联合，联盟，联合会

参考例句：

• It is a federation of 10 regional unions.它是由十个地方工会结合成的联合会。
• Mr.Putin was inaugurated as the President of the Russian Federation.普京正式就任俄罗斯联邦总统。

13 deploys   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的第三人称单数 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• It then deploys "decoy" programs designed to attract the virus. 然后，它释放“诱饵”去吸引病毒。
• But when that doesn't work, he deploys his secret defense mechanism. 但没有效果，它要施展绝密自卫武器了。