VOA慢速英语2018--智能镜子能帮助你挑选衣服

 

Software applications let smart phone users do a lot with their photographs.

Apps such as Snapchat already give users the ability to add dog ears, colorful rainbow tongues and other images onto smart phone photos.

Virtual mirrors are a little different. They are designed to let users see what they would look like wearing products that they might want to buy. Some examples are earrings¹ or other jewelry², lipstick³ and eyeglasses.

These smart mirror applications are gaining popularity among retail⁴ businesses, which want to get people into their stores.

A smart mirror is simply an app that turns the screen of a smart phone or other mobile device into a mirror, using its camera function. As users look at the image, the app will make it appear as if they are wearing the product.

Peter Johnson is with FaceCake Marketing⁵ Technologies. He said, “Virtual try-on offers people the ability to try on numerous products, many more than they would be able to try on otherwise.”

Recently, Johnson demonstrated how an app called Dangle⁶ works. The software program lets store customers try on different earrings without touching⁷ a single pair.

Dangle can be used on a computer tablet. It uses the tablet’s camera and the app’s facial recognition technology to make it appear as if the user is wearing earrings.

The digital earrings in the image appear almost real. They move with the user, providing a realistic experience. With Dangle, retailers⁸ can show customers all of their earrings in a short period of time — something almost impossible without technology.

There are other good reasons to use the app. Trying-on products with the virtual mirror means there is nothing to damage, lose or at risk of being stolen.

“In-store jewelry, even costume jewelry, in now quite expensive,” noted⁹ Peter Johnson.

“This is a way to keep inventory¹⁰ secure, while people are making decisions about what they want to wear,” he said.

A makeover for shopping outside of the home

Virtual mirrors work with another product that takes time and effort to try on: makeup¹¹.

A company called MemoMi has developed an augmented¹² reality app that lets customers virtually put on makeup. At Neiman Marcus stores, customers can use the app on a mobile device to see how beauty products would look on them.

The MemoMi software also is designed to teach users how to use the products. The app can record a beauty care expert putting makeup on a model, along with notes and spoken directions. The recording¹³ can then be shared with others on social media.

Alec Gefrides is with the American technology company Intel. He said the app can help people use products the way experts suggest and allows them to repeat the process at home.

Getting people to shop in stores again

Smart mirror apps are an example of how retail stores are turning to online services inside their stores to attract customers.

Online shoppers already expect experiences that are in some ways interactive¹⁴, easy to use and involve social media. Online shopping also makes it easy to pay for products.

A virtual mirror app like Dangle, supporters say, will enable stores to offer a huge number of products with many of the benefits of online shopping.

The MemoMi app lets stores collect information about its users. The information can include what products customers like, dislike and what they bought in the past. Many shopping websites already do this.

Stores hope that by using customer information, salespeople¹⁵ can make better suggestions to customers and sell more goods.

Gefrides believes that stores across the country will improve their businesses as these technologies improve.

“We always hear about the big store closings," said Gefrides. "But Intel sees technology becoming more important in providing customers with a better experience."

I’m Mario Ritter.

Words in This Story

apps (applications) – n. computer programs designed to do a specific task or related tasks

virtual – adj. online or digital, no real or physical

customers – n. anyone who pays for, “consumes,” goods or services

otherwise – adv. in a different way

pair – n. two of something

expensive – adj. pricey, costly¹⁶

augmented reality – n. pictures, video or other recordings¹⁷ of reality that also have something digital added to them to provide an “increased” experience

shopper – n. people who looking for things to buy

attract – v. to make someone interested in something

benefit – n. something that produces good or helpful effects

1 earrings   

n.耳环( earring的名词复数 )；耳坠子

参考例句：

• a pair of earrings 一对耳环
• These earrings snap on with special fastener. 这付耳环是用特制的按扣扣上去的。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 jewelry   

n.（jewllery）（总称）珠宝

参考例句：

• The burglars walked off with all my jewelry.夜盗偷走了我的全部珠宝。
• Jewelry and lace are mostly feminine belongings.珠宝和花边多数是女性用品。

3 lipstick   

n.口红，唇膏

参考例句：

• Taking out her lipstick,she began to paint her lips.她拿出口红，开始往嘴唇上抹。
• Lipstick and hair conditioner are cosmetics.口红和护发素都是化妆品。

4 retail   

v./n.零售；adv.以零售价格

参考例句：

• In this shop they retail tobacco and sweets.这家铺子零售香烟和糖果。
• These shoes retail at 10 yuan a pair.这些鞋子零卖10元一双。

5 marketing   

n.行销，在市场的买卖，买东西

参考例句：

• They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。
• He often goes marketing.他经常去市场做生意。

6 dangle   

v.(使)悬荡，(使)悬垂

参考例句：

• At Christmas,we dangle colored lights around the room.圣诞节时，我们在房间里挂上彩灯。
• He sits on the edge of the table and dangles his legs.他坐在桌子边上，摆动著双腿。

7 touching   

adj.动人的，使人感伤的

参考例句：

• It was a touching sight.这是一幅动人的景象。
• His letter was touching.他的信很感人。

8 retailers   

零售商，零售店( retailer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• High street retailers reported a marked increase in sales before Christmas. 商业街的零售商报告说圣诞节前销售量显著提高。
• Retailers have a statutory duty to provide goods suitable for their purpose. 零售商有为他们提供符合要求的货品的法定义务。

9 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

10 inventory   

n.详细目录，存货清单

参考例句：

• Some stores inventory their stock once a week.有些商店每周清点存货一次。
• We will need to call on our supplier to get more inventory.我们必须请供应商送来更多存货。

11 makeup   

n.组织；性格；化装品

参考例句：

• Those who failed the exam take a makeup exam.这次考试不及格的人必须参加补考。
• Do you think her beauty could makeup for her stupidity?你认为她的美丽能弥补她的愚蠢吗？

12 Augmented   

adj.增音的 动词augment的过去式和过去分词形式

参考例句：

• 'scientists won't be replaced," he claims, "but they will be augmented." 他宣称：“科学家不会被取代；相反，他们会被拓展。” 来自英汉非文学 - 科学史
• The impact of the report was augmented by its timing. 由于发表的时间选得好，这篇报导的影响更大了。

13 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。

14 interactive   

adj.相互作用的，互相影响的，（电脑）交互的

参考例句：

• The psychotherapy is carried out in small interactive groups.这种心理治疗是在互动的小组之间进行的。
• This will make videogames more interactive than ever.这将使电子游戏的互动性更胜以往。

15 salespeople   

n.售货员，店员；售货员( salesperson的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The shop usually employs additional salespeople for the Christmas toy trade. 这家商店通常雇一些临时售货员来做圣诞节玩具生意。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Under our new system, salespeople sit down with each of our dealers. 根据新的制度，销售人员应逐个地同承销商洽商。 来自辞典例句

16 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

17 recordings   

n.记录( recording的名词复数 )；录音；录像；唱片

参考例句：

• a boxed set of original recordings 一套盒装原声录音带
• old jazz recordings reissued on CD 以激光唱片重新发行的老爵士乐