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剛讀了一篇雙語新聞，不難，但是還是一些生詞
ViSparsh：讓盲人丟掉手杖《華人街日報》雙語新聞
Among many health-care-related challenges facing developing countries, visual impairment remains a major issue. Some technology entrepreneurs are coming up with new ideas for products that could have an impact on the lives of blind people.
在發展中國家面臨的諸多與醫療保健有關的挑戰中，視力障礙仍是一個主要問題。一些科技創業家正想方設法研究能為盲人的生活帶來便利的產品。
Globally, the number of visually impaired people, either partially or completely, is estimated at 285 million, according to the World Health Organization. More than 90% of visually impaired people live in developing countries, the WHO data show. Common causes of visual impairment are myopia, astigmatism, cataracts and glaucoma.
據世界衛生組織(World Health Organization)的統計，全球范圍內視力受損的人（包括部分和完全受損）估計有2.85億。世衛組織的數據顯示，有超過90%的視障人群生活在發展中國家。造成視力障礙的常見原因有近視、散光、白內障和青光眼等。
Visually impaired people in developing countries usually rely on basic walking canes to detect obstacles around them. While there are technologically advanced walking canes─such as those equipped with ultrasonic sensors or laser technology─some young engineers are trying to provide blind people with alternatives to canes.
一般來說，發展中國家的視障人群依賴普通手杖來“發現”周圍的障礙物。如今，盡管有了技術更為先進的手杖（如配備了超聲波傳感器或雷達技術），一些年輕的工程技術人員仍正努力為盲人提供手杖之外的其它選擇。
In India, the inspiration for a new device that helps blind people walk safely came from a motion-sensing technology used for videogames.
在印度，幫助盲人安全行走的一個新產品的發明靈感來自視頻游戲中采用的體感技術。
A team of three young Indian engineers─Jatin Sharma, Tushar Chugh and Rolly Seth─has designed viSparsh, a waist belt that helps a blind person avoid obstacles that are on and above the ground.
沙瑪(Jatin Sharma)、楚夫(Tushar Chugh)和賽斯(Rolly Seth)這三位年輕的印度工程師共同設計了viSparsh。這是一種腰帶，可幫助盲人避開地面和地面之上的障礙物。
ViSparsh, one of the 12 finalists in The Wall Street Journal's Asian Innovation Awards, employs the sensor technology used in Microsoft Corp.'s MSFT +0.21%Kinect, an accessory for the U.S. company's Xbox 360 videogame console that enables people to play games using their body movements and gestures instead of hand-held controllers.
ViSparsh是入圍《華爾街日報》“亞洲創新獎”(Asian Innovation Awards)的12件決賽作品之一，采用的是微軟公司(Microsoft Corp.)動作感應操作系統Kinect中的感應技術。Kinect是該公司視頻游戲機Xbox 360的配件，通過它人們可利用肢體動作和手勢來玩游戲，而不必使用手柄。
The three engineers, who met through an academic fellowship program, started developing viSparsh a year ago and showcased a prototype at Microsoft's annual developer conference in Bangalore in March. In May, Microsoft hired them as full-time employees. Still, the engineers maintain their sole ownership of the viSparsh project, which will license out the sensor technology used in Kinect.
這三位工程師通過一個學術性獎學金項目相互認識，三年前開始研發viSparsh，并在微軟今年3月于印度班加羅爾召開的年度開發者大會上展示了這個產品的原型機。5月，微軟聘他們為全職員工。盡管如此，這些工程師仍擁有viSparsh項目的獨家所有權。這個項目將通過技術許可的方式獲得Kinect的技術。
The belt-like device has an infrared optic sensor that can detect obstacles as distant as 3.7 meters, the engineers say. The device was designed to immediately grasp the direction and distance of the object, and alerts the user by sending vibration signals from either the left, center or right part of the belt depending on where the obstacle is.
三位工程師說，這個類似腰帶的產品有個紅外光學傳感器，可探測到3.7米范圍內的障礙物。這個發明旨在立即掌握物體的方位和距離，然后根據物體的位置從腰帶的左、中或右方發出震動信號，提醒佩戴者注意。
The three engineers are now working on reducing the size of viSparsh and increasing its efficiency. Mr. Chugh, one of the engineers, says it will take another eight months before the product hits the market.
三位工程師現正努力研究如何縮小viSparsh的大小并提高效能。楚夫說，還需要八個月產品才會上市。
Devices such as viSparsh cannot be a substitute for human vision, but 'they can break down the barriers for blind people,' says Sandeep Kaler, a project manager at the information-technology unit of the National Association for the Blind, an Indian nonprofit aimed at empowering the blind through education and training. More than 95% of blind people in India currently use basic walking canes, according to Mr. Kaler.
印度非營利組織國家盲人協會(National Association for the Blind)信息技術部項目經理卡勒(Sandeep Kaler )說，viSparsh這樣的產品無法替代人的視覺，但可以為盲人標識出障礙物。該協會的宗旨是通過教育和培訓為盲人拓展空間。卡勒表示，印度有超過95%的盲人目前使用的都是普通手杖。
In India, viSparsh isn't the only attempt to create new devices that can help the blind navigate the streets more safely. One product that is being developed is the Smartcane, a white walking cane that uses ultrasonic sensors to detect obstacles up to three meters and sends vibratory signals to the user. The device was designed by a group of students at the Indian Institute of Technology in Delhi, and the institute now runs the project with industrial partners.
viSparsh不是印度國內發明此類新產品的唯一嘗試，這些產品可幫助盲人更安全地通過街道。目前正處于研發階段的一個產品是智能手杖(Smartcane)。這根白色手杖可利用超聲波傳感器探測三米之內的障礙物，然后向使用者發送震動信號。該產品由印度理工學院(Indian Institute of Technology)的一群學生設計，現在這個項目由該學院和工業伙伴共同負責。
The Smartcane, powered by a rechargeable battery similar to those used in mobile phones and digital cameras, will cost about 2,000 rupees ($38), according to M. Balakrishnan, a professor at the computer science and engineering department of IIT Delhi, who mentored the students behind the Smartcane project. It is scheduled to hit the market next summer.
印度理工學院計算機科學與工程系教授、智能手杖項目的學生導師巴拉克瑞斯南(M. Balakrishnan)表示，智能手杖將以約2,000盧比（合38美元）的價格出售。這個手杖由類似于手機和數碼相機中的充電電池驅動，計劃明年夏天上市。
At present, viSparsh, which isn't yet available to consumers, would cost more than the Smartcane. Mr. Chugh says the product will initially cost 8,000 rupees to 9,000 rupees. But, the viSparsh team is seeking aids and grants from governments and corporate sponsors to bring down the price to 4,000 rupees or less. If the device can be mass-produced, its prices would go down even further, he says.
還沒有向消費者普及的viSparsh屆時的售價將超過智能手杖。楚夫說，viSparsh最初的售價將在8,000盧比至9,000盧比之間。但研發團隊目前正在設法獲取政府補貼和企業贊助，希望借此能將價格壓至4,000盧比或更低。他說，如果能量產，價格還能再低。
A major advantage of viSparsh, compared with cane-like devices such as the Smartcane, is that it frees up the user's hands, says Mohammed Waseem, a former employee of the National Association for the Blind who tested viSparsh earlier this year. Mr. Waseem says he hasn't signed any agreement with team to promote viSparsh belt, nor is he being paid for it.
印度國家盲人協會的前雇員瓦薩穆(Mohammed Waseem)說，相比智能手杖等拐杖類產品，viSparsh的一大優點是解放了使用者的雙手。瓦薩穆今年早些時候對viSparsh進行了測評。他說，自己還沒有與團隊簽署任何宣傳viSparsh腰帶的協議，自己也沒有為此收取報酬。
The idea of developing a belt-like device instead of a cane is based on Mr. Chugh's observation that many blind people don't like using canes because they want to look as normal as possible. 'It will not just be a technological change, it will also be a cultural change,' Mr. Chugh said.
當初之所以想到要研發腰帶產品而不是手杖，是因為楚夫發現，很多盲人并不喜歡使用手杖，他們希望自己看起來跟正常人一樣。楚夫說，這不光是技術層面的變革，也是文化方面的變革。 |
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發表于 2013-2-26 11:33
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