藏在咖啡杯盖中的侦查神器

 　　It resembles nothing more innocuous than an ordinary coffee cup.

　　从表面上看，这就是一个再普通不过的咖啡杯。

　　But it is actually a disguised hi-tech gadget¹ which could become a potent² new weapon in the fight against criminals, enemy spies and benefits cheats.

　　但实际里面藏着尖端科技。这个产品可能会成为对抗犯罪分子、敌方间谍和福利欺骗的有力武器。

　　For the plastic lid, which is almost identical to millions handed out by coffee chains such as Starbucks and Caffe Nero, contains James Bond-style filming and listening equipment.

　　这是因为这款塑料杯盖里蕴藏着詹姆斯?邦德（James Bond）式的拍摄和窃听设备，虽然它的外表几乎和星巴克（Starbucks）或是尼路咖啡（Caffe Nero）等咖啡连锁店中使用的千千万万个咖啡杯盖没什么两样。

　　It is fitted out with a high-definition pinhole camera and an eavesdropping³ device that can listen into and record a room full of people.

　　这个杯盖配备了高分辨率的针孔摄像机以及可以监听并记录整间屋子里所有人声音的窃听设备。

　　藏在咖啡杯盖中的侦查神器

　　Investigators⁴ will be able to gather vital evidence using the device, which is turned on by pressing the letter 'H' – which stands for 'Hot' – on the innovative⁵ lid.

　　调查人员只需轻轻按下这个创意杯盖上的“H”键（代表英文HOT），就能开启设备，并用它来收集重要证据。

　　The lid, which is 9cm in diameter, has been created by Cornwall-based company LawMate UK to fit any takeaway coffee cup.

　　这个直径为9厘米的杯盖由总部位于康沃尔（Cornwall）的LawMate UK公司设计，适用于所有外带咖啡杯。

　　Britain's police and security services are said to be 'very interested' in the device and store detectives and private investigators have placed orders to use it in undercover work, say the company.

　　该公司称：英国警方以及安全部门对这个设备“十分有兴趣”，一些商店侦探和私家侦探已经下单订购该设备，用于卧底工作。

　　LawMate UK has already sold more than 100 of the devices. It will be unveiled officially in London on Tuesday at DSEI, the world's largest defence and security exhibition.

　　LawMate UK已经售出100多台设备，并且将在周二在伦敦举行的世界最大防务与安全设备展——英国国际防务展（DSEI）上正式露面。

　　The idea for the coffee lid came from the Association of British Detectives and undercover police as many covert⁶ recording⁷ devices are commonly known in the criminal underworld.

　　这款咖啡杯盖的创意源自于英国侦探协会（Association of British Detectives）以及卧底警察，因为许多秘密录音设备是黑社会中众所周知的手段。

　　Tim Cowley, head of LawMate UK, said: 'It's very easy to get clocked for what you are doing undercover so to have something that people use everyday is crucial.

　　LawMate UK公司掌门人蒂姆?考利（Tim Cowley）说：“卧底的工作很容易被察觉，因此利用人们的日常用品是至关重要的。”

　　'You either simply pop it on a table aimed at the targets or simply hold it in your hand and stand on a street corner or in a coffee shop. It can also be used in face-to-face meetings.

　　“你要做的只是把它放在桌子上对准目标人物或是在街角或咖啡店中将它握在手中。它也可以用在面对面会议中。

　　'You can stick it on anything on a range of coffee cups from different manufacturers and still drink from it.'

　　你可以把它装在不同厂家的一系列咖啡杯上，还可以正常地喝咖啡。

　　The pin-hole camera produces video footage of sufficient quality to use in prosecutions⁸ and it is marked with a time and date stamp so it can be submitted as evidence in court.

　　针孔摄像机可以拍出能够用于起诉的高质量视频片段，同时带有时间和日期水印，足以作为法庭证物提交。

　　The lid has a self-contained recording system that can pick up voices up to 15ft away.

　　这个咖啡杯盖有独立的录音系统，能够识别15英尺（约合4.57 米）以外的声音。

　　All the electronics are fed by a battery that lasts for almost two hours.

　　设备的全部电子器件由一块电池带动，其电量可维持近两个小时。

　　For the last decade LawMate’s covert recording devices, including key fob voice recorders and buttonhole cameras, have been used by the Ministry⁹ of Defence and the police.

　　在过去的十年中，英国国防部（Ministry of Defence）和警方都有使用LawMate公司的秘密录音设备，比如录音钥匙链和纽扣摄像机。

　　More recently, the Department for Work and Pensions have used them to tackle the rise of benefit fraud.

　　最近，英国就业与退休保障部门将其运用于解决愈演愈烈的福利欺诈问题。

　　Vocabulary

　　innocuous：无关痛痒的，无害的

　　pinhole camera：针孔照相机，针孔摄影机

　　eavesdropping：窃听，偷听

　　diameter：直径

　　store detectives：店铺侦探，专抓在商店里行窃者的人

　　self-contained：独立的

　　covert recording：隐秘的

1 gadget   

n.小巧的机械，精巧的装置，小玩意儿

参考例句：

• This gadget isn't much good.这小机械没什么用处。
• She has invented a nifty little gadget for undoing stubborn nuts and bolts.她发明了一种灵巧的小工具用来松开紧固的螺母和螺栓。

2 potent   

adj.强有力的，有权势的；有效力的

参考例句：

• The medicine had a potent effect on your disease.这药物对你的病疗效很大。
• We must account of his potent influence.我们必须考虑他的强有力的影响。

3 eavesdropping   

n. 偷听

参考例句：

• We caught him eavesdropping outside the window. 我们撞见他正在窗外偷听。
• Suddenly the kids,who had been eavesdropping,flew into the room. 突然间，一直在偷听的孩子们飞进屋来。

4 investigators   

n.调查者，审查者( investigator的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• This memo could be the smoking gun that investigators have been looking for. 这份备忘录可能是调查人员一直在寻找的证据。
• The team consisted of six investigators and two secretaries. 这个团队由六个调查人员和两个秘书组成。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 innovative   

adj.革新的，新颖的，富有革新精神的

参考例句：

• Discover an innovative way of marketing.发现一个创新的营销方式。
• He was one of the most creative and innovative engineers of his generation.他是他那代人当中最富创造性与革新精神的工程师之一。

6 covert   

adj.隐藏的；暗地里的

参考例句：

• We should learn to fight with enemy in an overt and covert way.我们应学会同敌人做公开和隐蔽的斗争。
• The army carried out covert surveillance of the building for several months.军队对这座建筑物进行了数月的秘密监视。

7 recording   

n.录音，记录

参考例句：

• How long will the recording of the song take?录下这首歌得花多少时间？
• I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。

8 prosecutions   

起诉( prosecution的名词复数 )； 原告； 实施； 从事

参考例句：

• It is the duty of the Attorney-General to institute prosecutions. 检察总长负责提起公诉。
• Since World War II, the government has been active in its antitrust prosecutions. 第二次世界大战以来，政府积极地进行着反对托拉斯的检举活动。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件

9 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。