VOA常速英语2018--科技新发明：手套可作手语翻译器

Inventor Hadeel Ayoub blips a black glove on to her hand before beginning the familiar swish of sign language. She pushes a button on her wrist and a small speaker relays the message. This glove translates sign language into speech to help people who cannot speak.

海蒂 阿尤布(Hadeel Ayoub)发明了一个黑色手套，先戴在手上，再比划大家再熟悉不过的手语。只需按一下手腕上的按钮，一个小小的扬声器就会传递信息。这个手套可以将手语转化为语言，帮助无法说话的人。

Ayoub is the inventor of BrightSign. I am tired. My dream for BrightSign is to be the extension of the senses for the people who want that kind of technology, who want to voice their feelings and opinions without having to always look for someone to help them out, to give them the independence that they need and the control over their own communication. She estimates each pair of gloves will cost a few hundred dollars and exclaims how they work. So this is called the data glove which is wired with multiple sensors¹ to track the hand movements And there are sensors that measure how much your fingers are flex² and bends and there are sensors here that measure exactly where your hand is in 3d space. And that information is being transferred to a computer chip right here, and once I make a sign language, basically I pressed this button and it translates all of those movements into words that are spoken out through the speaker. There are also new devices to help the blind. The Ford³ Motor Company worked with an Italian startup to create a device that helps blind people feel the view outside a car window by turning light into vibrations⁴ that when combined with an audio description conveys a sense of the scenery passing by.

阿尤布发明了明亮手语。我累了。我希望明亮手语能延伸人们的感官，通过这种技术帮助有需要的人，帮助那些想要表达自己感受和观点的人。这样，他们便再也不必寻求他人的帮助，他们就可以如愿地独立，可以掌控跟他人的交流。阿尤布估测，每副手套的成本大概在几百美元左右，也向大家介绍了手套的用法。这是所谓的数据手套，通过电线与多个传感器绑定，从而可以跟踪手部运动。另一些传感器是负责测量手指的舒展和弯曲程度的，还有一些是负责精确测量手在三维空间中的位置的。这些信息会同时传送到电脑芯片上，所以，我打手语的时候，就会按下这个案件，然后我的所有动作都会转化为语言，通过扬声器放出。还有一些新型设备可以帮助盲人。福特汽车公司与意大利某初创公司合作研发了一个设备，这个设备可以帮助盲人感受到车窗外的风景，方式就是将光转化为震感，并通过声音描述的结合，为盲人传递一种风景经过身旁的感觉。

Last year Microsoft launched its free Seeing All app which turns a smartphone into a talking camera. Paul Bepey who is blind and lives alone uses the Seeing All to do things like finding food and drinks. You’ve got the empowerment and independence literally⁵ in your pocket on your smart device. Analysts⁶ say demand for technology that augments⁷ our ability to see and hear the world around us can only grow.

去年，微软发布了一款名为“一切可见”的免费应用程序，该程序可以将智能手机变为可以说话的摄像机。保罗是个独居的盲人，通过这款软件，他可以做很多事情，比如寻找食物和饮料。通过口袋里的智能手机就能获得能力，实现独立。很多分析家表示，一些可以帮助人类更好地看世界、听世界的技术，需求量只会与日俱增。

1 sensors   

n.传感器，灵敏元件( sensor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There were more than 2000 sensors here. 这里装有两千多个灵敏元件。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Significant changes have been noted where sensors were exposed to trichloride. 当传感器暴露在三氯化物中时，有很大变化。 来自辞典例句

2 flex   

n.皮线，花线；vt.弯曲或伸展

参考例句：

• We wound off a couple of yards of wire for a new lamp flex.我们解开几码电线作为新的电灯花线。
• He gave his biceps a flex to impress the ladies.他收缩他的肱二头肌以吸引那些女士们的目光。

3 Ford   

n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过

参考例句：

• They were guarding the bridge,so we forded the river.他们驻守在那座桥上，所以我们只能涉水过河。
• If you decide to ford a stream,be extremely careful.如果已决定要涉过小溪，必须极度小心。

4 vibrations   

n.摆动( vibration的名词复数 )；震动；感受；（偏离平衡位置的）一次性往复振动

参考例句：

• We could feel the vibrations from the trucks passing outside. 我们可以感到外面卡车经过时的颤动。
• I am drawn to that girl; I get good vibrations from her. 我被那女孩吸引住了，她使我产生良好的感觉。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 literally   

adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实

参考例句：

• He translated the passage literally.他逐字逐句地翻译这段文字。
• Sometimes she would not sit down till she was literally faint.有时候，她不走到真正要昏厥了，决不肯坐下来。

6 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

7 augments   

增加，提高，扩大( augment的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• He augments his income by teaching in the evening. 他通过晚上教书来增加收入。
• Neostigmine augments the motor activity of the small and large bowel. 新斯的明增强小肠和大肠的运动功能。