科技动态:海关有望试用新仪器探测物品（在线收听）

Now from the Boston Museum of Science Sci-Tech Today on NECN.

有线新闻波士顿消息。

You've likely heard of drug-sniffing dogs. Today we learn about the next wave of cargo screening. Researchers at the University of Sheffield are developing cargo screening ferrets to aid in the search of cargo for illegal substances. And joining us now from the Museum of Science Boston is Joanna Bunn. Thanks for joining us this morning, Joanna.

我们都知道缉毒犬，但现在海关检查又有了新方法。来自英国谢菲尔德大学的研究人员正在研究利用新的探测器（robotic ferrets）帮助海关检验非法进出境物品。让我们欢迎来自波士顿科学院的Joanna Bunn。你好，Joanna。

Good morning Lutoya.

早上好，Lutoya。

So what exactly are robotic ferrets?

这款探测器究竟怎么样呢？

Yes, these aren't the cute and cuddly kinds that you wanna bring home. These robotic ferrets are being developed in the United Kingdom currently. They are gonna be about 30 centimeters to a little under a foot long and are gonna be used to search cargo containers that we have at seaports and airports such as in Boston, Massachusetts.

这些探测器并不是可爱的让人想要抱回家的小物件。它们正由英国相关部门研制，全长30厘米到1英尺，用于检测波士顿，马赛出塞州等地的海运空运集装箱。

Ok, how will they work exactly?

那么这些探测器效果如何呢？

Well, the standard cargo container is 48-feet long and about 8-feet tall. It is stuffed full of boxes and cargo. Oftentimes there's just a little bit of room near the top which is where our robotic ferret comes in. The robotic ferret will be attached to the top of the cargo container and there will move around, using sensors that take advantage of laser and fiber optic technologies to look for particles of contraband such as nuclear weapons, biotoxins, drugs and even carbon dioxide.

标准的集装箱长48英尺，高8英尺，里面堆满了盒子或箱子。通常只有集装箱的上面留有少量空间，这正是探测器要安置的地方。探测器附在集装箱的上方，并四处移动，利用激光和光纤技术探寻禁运物品的分子，例如核武器，生物毒素，毒品，甚至是二氧化碳。

Wow! So what exactly are the benefits of using this type of robot?

哇！那么使用这种仪器的好处是什么呢？

Well, first we wanna reduce the number of time that Security and Customs Officials need to physically go inside these cargo containers and remove the items form inside. This is time-consuming and can potentially expose them to harmful materials that are within the containers.

首先，我们希望利用这项技术能够减少海关人员进入集装箱的次数，以往，工作人员必须搬动货物并进入集装箱才能检验集装箱内的所有物品。这样做费力不讨好，还有可能使检验人员受到箱内物品的伤害。

So briefly Joanna, when will the robot ferrets be available?

那么，Joanna，这种仪器什么时候投入使用呢？

Oh well, the researchers are hoping to have a prototype in about two years with possible deployment in about five years.

研究人员计划在两年内制造出产品模型，可能的话在五年内投入使用。

Joanna Bunn, thank you so much for educating us this morning. Join us every morning every Thursday morning at this time for Sci-Tech Today or log on to Museum of Science website mos.org.

Jonna Bunn，谢谢你的介绍。观众们，欢迎您每周四早上同一时间关注我们的节目，或登录我们的网站www.mos.org。