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科学家研制奔跑如猎豹的机器人

Scientists have been experimenting with four-legged robots for years, trying to see if they could be used as pack animals for carrying heavy loads over a difficult terrain¹. But the machine's power requirements limited their potential. That's changed, with a running robot designed by a group of engineers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology that operates on batteries rather than heavy gasoline-powered engines.

科学工作者多年来一直在研究有四肢的机器人，他们希望这些拥有较好负重能力的机器人能够“当牛做马”，在复杂的地面条件下运送货物。但机器人本身对于动力的要求限制了它们的发展。这个情况目前取得了突破。麻省理工学院(MIT)的一组工程师设计出了一个能够跑动的猎豹机器人。有别于传统笨重的汽油引擎，这种机器人靠电池运行。

Scientists say their robots will soon be able to run like cheetahs².

科研人员说，他们的机器人不久之后就能像猎豹一样奔跑。

But for now, the different technologies that will bring them closer to everyday life are still being tested.

但目前为止，科学家们仍在测试各种科技方法使它们能早日贴近我们的生活。

One of the obstacles continues to be power consumption. These complicated machines are still relatively³ heavy and their numerous motors require a lot of energy to run.

动力仍是一个制约因素。相较于现有动力，这些精密的机械仍然太重了，并且众多的小马达运转起来也要消耗大量能量。

The most powerful among them are either tethered to a power source or have a gasoline-powered generator⁴ onboard.

动力最强劲的机器人要么用电线与电源相连，要么携带着一个汽油发动机。

But engineers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have designed a 30-kilogram cheetah-like robot that is light enough to run on batteries.

但麻省理工学院的工程师们设计出了一种30公斤重、状如猎豹的机器人。它轻到可以靠电池运行。

“This robot can actually jump 40 centimeters high and it can land very safely and then it can run, sprint⁵, because of the special, motor technology we developed,” said Sangbae Kim, director of MIT Biomimetics Robotic Lab. 

麻省理工学院仿生机器人实验室主任金相培（译音，Sangbaei Kim）说：“由于我们研制的特殊马达技术，这个机器人可以跳40厘米高，并且可以安全地落地并接着奔跑冲刺。”

Kim says the robot needs only about 700 watts⁶ of power. Its limbs and other parts were made in a 3-D printer and reinforced with the strong, light-weight plastic called Kevlar, used for modern military helmets and bodysuits.

金相培说，这个机器人只需要大约700瓦特的电力。它的四肢和其它部分首先由3D打印机制出，接着用坚固、轻便的凯夫拉塑料加固。这种塑料原本用于军队头盔和防弹服。

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

“整个骨架必须既轻便又坚固，所以我们设计的这个骨架能够承受外界的高强力量和震荡。”金相培说。

But the development of MIT's robot is not without setbacks.  Its limbs must sustain tremendous force and sometimes they break.

但麻省理工学院的机器人并非完美。它的四肢承受着强大的外力，因此有时会折断。

Kim says another special feature is the custom-made motor controller.

金相培说，这个机器人的另一个特点就是其定制的马达控制器。

“It is also designed by us because none of the commercially available products can handle this kind of power,” he said.

他说：“它是为我们的机器人特别定制的。因为市面上的现有产品都不能满足我们的这种动力要求。”

Researchers say the new technologies used on this robot may find their way to artificial limbs as well as other high-tech⁷ machines being developed to replace humans at back-breaking jobs.

研究者认为，运用在这个机器人身上的科技也能运用在假肢上，还可以用于开发代替人类从事繁重体力劳动的机械。