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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?qǐng)?bào)》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(fā)展中國家面臨的諸多與醫(yī)療保健有關(guān)的挑戰(zhàn)中，視力障礙仍是一個(gè)主要問題。一些科技創(chuàng)業(yè)家正想方設(shè)法研究能為盲人的生活帶來便利的產(chǎn)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(jù)世界衛(wèi)生組織(World Health Organization)的統(tǒng)計(jì)，全球范圍內(nèi)視力受損的人（包括部分和完全受損）估計(jì)有2.85億。世衛(wèi)組織的數(shù)據(jù)顯示，有超過90%的視障人群生活在發(fā)展中國家。造成視力障礙的常見原因有近視、散光、白內(nèi)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(fā)展中國家的視障人群依賴普通手杖來“發(fā)現(xiàn)”周圍的障礙物。如今，盡管有了技術(shù)更為先進(jìn)的手杖（如配備了超聲波傳感器或雷達(dá)技術(shù)），一些年輕的工程技術(shù)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(gè)新產(chǎn)品的發(fā)明靈感來自視頻游戲中采用的體感技術(shù)。
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(shè)計(jì)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?qǐng)?bào)》“亞洲創(chuàng)新獎(jiǎng)”(Asian Innovation Awards)的12件決賽作品之一，采用的是微軟公司(Microsoft Corp.)動(dòng)作感應(yīng)操作系統(tǒng)Kinect中的感應(yīng)技術(shù)。Kinect是該公司視頻游戲機(jī)Xbox 360的配件，通過它人們可利用肢體動(dòng)作和手勢(shì)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(gè)學(xué)術(shù)性獎(jiǎng)學(xué)金項(xiàng)目相互認(rèn)識(shí)，三年前開始研發(fā)viSparsh，并在微軟今年3月于印度班加羅爾召開的年度開發(fā)者大會(huì)上展示了這個(gè)產(chǎn)品的原型機(jī)。5月，微軟聘他們?yōu)槿殕T工。盡管如此，這些工程師仍擁有viSparsh項(xiàng)目的獨(dú)家所有權(quán)。這個(gè)項(xiàng)目將通過技術(shù)許可的方式獲得Kinect的技術(shù)。
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(gè)類似腰帶的產(chǎn)品有個(gè)紅外光學(xué)傳感器，可探測(cè)到3.7米范圍內(nèi)的障礙物。這個(gè)發(fā)明旨在立即掌握物體的方位和距離，然后根據(jù)物體的位置從腰帶的左、中或右方發(fā)出震動(dòng)信號(hào)，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(xiàn)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(gè)月產(chǎn)品才會(huì)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(yíng)利組織國家盲人協(xié)會(huì)(National Association for the Blind)信息技術(shù)部項(xiàng)目經(jīng)理卡勒(Sandeep Kaler )說，viSparsh這樣的產(chǎn)品無法替代人的視覺，但可以為盲人標(biāo)識(shí)出障礙物。該協(xié)會(huì)的宗旨是通過教育和培訓(xùn)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(nèi)發(fā)明此類新產(chǎn)品的唯一嘗試，這些產(chǎn)品可幫助盲人更安全地通過街道。目前正處于研發(fā)階段的一個(gè)產(chǎn)品是智能手杖(Smartcane)。這根白色手杖可利用超聲波傳感器探測(cè)三米之內(nèi)的障礙物，然后向使用者發(fā)送震動(dòng)信號(hào)。該產(chǎn)品由印度理工學(xué)院(Indian Institute of Technology)的一群學(xué)生設(shè)計(jì)，現(xiàn)在這個(gè)項(xiàng)目由該學(xué)院和工業(yè)伙伴共同負(fù)責(zé)。
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(xué)院計(jì)算機(jī)科學(xué)與工程系教授、智能手杖項(xiàng)目的學(xué)生導(dǎo)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(jià)格出售。這個(gè)手杖由類似于手機(jī)和數(shù)碼相機(jī)中的充電電池驅(qū)動(dòng)，計(jì)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(fèi)者普及的viSparsh屆時(shí)的售價(jià)將超過智能手杖。楚夫說，viSparsh最初的售價(jià)將在8,000盧比至9,000盧比之間。但研發(fā)團(tuán)隊(duì)目前正在設(shè)法獲取政府補(bǔ)貼和企業(yè)贊助，希望借此能將價(jià)格壓至4,000盧比或更低。他說，如果能量產(chǎn)，價(jià)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(xié)會(huì)的前雇員瓦薩穆(Mohammed Waseem)說，相比智能手杖等拐杖類產(chǎn)品，viSparsh的一大優(yōu)點(diǎn)是解放了使用者的雙手。瓦薩穆今年早些時(shí)候?qū)iSparsh進(jìn)行了測(cè)評(píng)。他說，自己還沒有與團(tuán)隊(duì)簽署任何宣傳viSparsh腰帶的協(xié)議，自己也沒有為此收取報(bào)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(dāng)初之所以想到要研發(fā)腰帶產(chǎn)品而不是手杖，是因?yàn)槌虬l(fā)現(xiàn)，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(shù)層面的變革，也是文化方面的變革。 |
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發(fā)表于 2013-2-26 11:33
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