英语听力：自然百科 2008机器人巡礼

 Humanize robots may once have been a figment of the imagination, but 2008 saw several robots bringing the concept a step closer to reality. In July, London Science Museum was the venue¹ for the debut² of some futuristic robots.

 

figment:虚构的东西

 

The P-Brain is hooked up to computer vision system which looks for the faces in the crowd. And once it finds a face, it sends signals to the P-brain and it tells it to look left, look right, or look up or look down, and that's how it tracks.

 

be hooked up to:连接到

 

While the IC hexapod robot might have a system that functions similar to a brain, the Heart Robot has an altogether more human look. It features eyes that blink, hands that grab fingers and even a heart that beats, reflecting the robot’s emotional state.

 

IC:integrated circuit集成电路 

hexapod:六足的  

blink:眨眼

 

And so as you move him, as you hold him and touch him, he responds to you. His state, his very simple reactive state changes.

 

According to one lab administrator³, the goal is to get robots to interact with us in the future and the more approachable they are, it is thought that the more willing people would be to use them.

This was one of the latest generations of robots on display at an exhibition in Los Angeles in August---an animatronics robot head that mimics⁵ human physical actions as eyes move and lips part. The life-like expressions are created by simulating the movement of human muscles and tendons.

 

animatronics:Animation和Electronics的合成词，是利用电气、电子控制等手段使机器人看起来更像真人.

mimic⁴: v.模拟

part: v.分开

tendon：肌腱

 

Another advancement⁶ on display was the robot Nexi, made by a group led by the MIT Media Lab. It responds to people with face gestures and speech. When you speak, the robot’s face follows your face and its expressions hint at human feelings.

MIT:Massachusetts Institute of Technology 麻省理工学院 

hint at: 示意，表示

 

Hello, I’m Mr. Asahi.

 

Some companies are just interested in people’s interest in robots and are using that to promote products. Mr. Asahi was created by the Japanese beer brand of the same name， to help sell their products on a promotional tour. He can pour and serve lager like an expert bartender and never tires.

 

lager: 啤酒的一种，制造工艺特别

bartender: 酒吧的侍应

 

Back in the Lab, researchers of the University of Southampton are developing many robots that work as one. These are small independent robots that swarm⁷ together and cooperate with each other autonomously⁸. The first prototype of these swarm robots were created by students by using the vibrator motor from a mobile phone battery.

 

swarm: v.集中，蜂拥而至

prototype: 最初的模型

vibrator: 振动器

 

If we send, instead of one very expensive large robot, a large number of small robots and  they collaborate⁹ to achieve a task, and then if  there's a fault in one of small robots, it will not stop the entire task to be done eventually.

 

But not all robots have such a workhorse ethic¹⁰. Honda's  promotional android ASIMO can make some impressive moves on the dance floor.

 

workhorse: 做苦力的马，形容吃苦耐劳的精神

android: 男性模样的

 

One Japanese robot trade fair imagined the future where robots are part of everyday life. The robots on display have been designed to look after the sick and elderly, as well as clean homes and serve drinks.

 

Nikom Lyne, the founder¹¹ of the Hong Kong Human Robot Center, has made a number of robots in his own likeness¹². He uses 3G mobile phone technology to control his human-like robots. It seems likely that his robots become ever more lifelike, they are set to feature even more prominently in the future.

 

in his own likeness: 与他自己模样相像

3G: 3rd Generation第三代移动通信技术

1 venue   

n.犯罪地点，审判地，管辖地，发生地点，集合地点

参考例句：

• The hall provided a venue for weddings and other functions.大厅给婚礼和其他社会活动提供了场所。
• The chosen venue caused great controversy among the people.人们就审判地点的问题产生了极大的争议。

2 debut   

n.首次演出，初次露面

参考例句：

• That same year he made his Broadway debut, playing a suave radio journalist.在那同一年里，他初次在百老汇登台，扮演一个温文而雅的电台记者。
• The actress made her debut in the new comedy.这位演员在那出新喜剧中首次登台演出。

3 administrator   

n.经营管理者，行政官员

参考例句：

• The role of administrator absorbed much of Ben's energy.行政职务耗掉本很多精力。
• He has proved himself capable as administrator.他表现出管理才能。

4 mimic   

v.模仿，戏弄；n.模仿他人言行的人

参考例句：

• A parrot can mimic a person's voice.鹦鹉能学人的声音。
• He used to mimic speech peculiarities of another.他过去总是模仿别人讲话的特点。

5 mimics   

n.模仿名人言行的娱乐演员，滑稽剧演员( mimic的名词复数 )；善于模仿的人或物v.（尤指为了逗乐而）模仿( mimic的第三人称单数 )；酷似

参考例句：

• Methods:Models were generate by CT scan,Mimics software and Abaqus software. 方法：采用CT扫描，Mimics软件和Abaqus软件的CAD进行三维有限元模型的创建。 来自互联网
• Relaxing the mind and body mimics the effect that some blood-pressure pills would have. 放松身心会产生某些降压药才能产生的效果。 来自辞典例句

6 advancement   

n.前进，促进，提升

参考例句：

• His new contribution to the advancement of physiology was well appreciated.他对生理学发展的新贡献获得高度赞赏。
• The aim of a university should be the advancement of learning.大学的目标应是促进学术。

7 swarm   

n.(昆虫)等一大群；vi.成群飞舞；蜂拥而入

参考例句：

• There is a swarm of bees in the tree.这树上有一窝蜜蜂。
• A swarm of ants are moving busily.一群蚂蚁正在忙碌地搬家。

8 autonomously   

adv. 自律地，自治地

参考例句：

• To learn autonomously in the network environment is totally new to students. 基于网络环境下的自主学习对学生来说，是一种全新的学习方式。
• The QC-RS can operate autonomously or by remote control. QC-RS能实现自动操作或通过遥控来操作。

9 collaborate   

vi.协作，合作；协调

参考例句：

• The work gets done more quickly when we collaborate.我们一旦合作，工作做起来就更快了。
• I would ask you to collaborate with us in this work.我们愿意请你们在这项工作中和我们合作。

10 ethic   

n.道德标准，行为准则

参考例句：

• They instilled the work ethic into their children.他们在孩子们的心中注入了职业道德的理念。
• The connotation of education ethic is rooted in human nature's mobility.教育伦理的内涵根源于人本性的变动性。

11 Founder   

n.创始者，缔造者

参考例句：

• He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
• According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。

12 likeness   

n.相像，相似（之处）

参考例句：

• I think the painter has produced a very true likeness.我认为这位画家画得非常逼真。
• She treasured the painted likeness of her son.她珍藏她儿子的画像。