TED演讲:无创治疗心脏疾病的新方法(4)

 But we live in a place that is 12,000 feet high. 但我们住在海拔3600多米的地方。

And, the patients there need a special device to solve their heart condition. 而且，那里的病人们需要一种特别的器材来解决他们的心脏问题。

The hole in altitude patients is different, because the orifice between the arteries¹ is larger. 高海拔地区病人的心脏缺损不同于其他地区，因为他们的动脉孔径更大。

Most patients cannot afford to be treated on time, and they die. 绝大多数患者因得不到及时治疗，最终不幸去世。

The first coil could successfully treat only half of the patients in Bolivia. 于是我们又从零开始寻找新的材料。

The search started again. We went back to the drawing board. 于是我们又从零开始寻找新的材料。

After many trials, and with the help of my grandmother's indigenous² friends in the mountains, we obtained a new device. 多次试验无果后，我在外祖母在山区的原住民朋友的帮助下，获得了一种新的器材。

For centuries, indigenous women told stories by weaving complex patterns on looms³, and an unexpected skill helped us for the new device. 几个世纪以来，原住民妇女在织布机上织出了各种复杂的图案，我们从这种传统织布工艺上得出灵感。

We take this traditional method of weaving and make a design made by a smart material that records shape. 我们用这种纺织方法加工出了一种智能材料，具有形状记忆的特性。

It seems this time, the weaving allows us to create a seamless device that doesn't rust⁴ because it's made of only one piece. 看起来这次，织布技术似乎帮我们造出了一种无缝器材，它不会生锈，因为它是一体化的，没有接缝。

It can change by itself into very complex structures by a procedure that took decades to develop. 它可以通过一种花费了数十年才研发出的方法改变自身形状，变成极为复杂的结构。

1 arteries   

n.动脉( artery的名词复数 )；干线，要道

参考例句：

• Even grafting new blood vessels in place of the diseased coronary arteries has been tried. 甚至移植新血管代替不健康的冠状动脉的方法都已经试过。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• This is the place where the three main arteries of West London traffic met. 这就是伦敦西部三条主要交通干线的交汇处。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 indigenous   

adj.土产的，土生土长的，本地的

参考例句：

• Each country has its own indigenous cultural tradition.每个国家都有自己本土的文化传统。
• Indians were the indigenous inhabitants of America.印第安人是美洲的土著居民。

3 looms   

n.织布机( loom的名词复数 )v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的第三人称单数 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近

参考例句：

• All were busily engaged,men at their ploughs,women at their looms. 大家都很忙，男的耕田，女的织布。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The factory has twenty-five looms. 那家工厂有25台织布机。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 rust   

n.锈；v.生锈；(脑子)衰退

参考例句：

• She scraped the rust off the kitchen knife.她擦掉了菜刀上的锈。
• The rain will rust the iron roof.雨水会使铁皮屋顶生锈。