range of numbers. The numbers are part of a gray-scale system in which brightness is
范围的数字。这些数字都是部分灰度系统中,亮度
measured in a range of values. One scale ranges from 0 to 15, and another from 0 to 255. The
测量了不同的值。一个刻度范围是0到15,另一个是0到255。这
0 is represented by black. The highest number is white. The numbers in between represent
0是为黑色。最多数量是白色的。这两个数字之间表现甚麽
different shades of gray. The computer then makes the calculations and converts the numbers
各种不同灰度的颜色。计算机进行计算和转换成数字
into a picture that shows an image of the object in question. It is not yet known whether
表明图像物体的形象。尚不清楚
robots will one day have vision as good as human vision. Technicians believe they will, but
机器人会不会有朝一日具有人眼那样的视力。技术人员相信他们会,但
only after years of development.
只有通过多年的发展。
Engineers working on other advances are designing and experimenting with new types of
在其他方面取得进展的工程技术人员正在设计和试验新型的
articulated metal hands and fingers, giving robots a sense of touch. Other engineers are
挂接金属手与手指,使机器人具有触觉。其他工程人员正在
writing new programs allowing robots to make decisions such as whether to discard defective
编写新的程序使机器人做出决定,例如是否要报废缺陷
parts in finished products. To do this, the robot will also have to be capable of
部分成品。要做到这一点,机器人还应能
identifying those defective parts.
识别哪些零件有缺陷。
These future robots, assembled with a sense of touch and the ability to see and make
这些未来的机器人,聚集在一个触觉感和看和做的能力
decisions, will have plenty of work to do. They can be used to prospect for minerals on the
决定,将会有许多工作要做。它们能被用于矿物对前景
ocean floor or in deep areas of mines too dangerous for humans to enter. They will work as
海洋地板或深层区域的对人类太危险的地雷进入。它们可以做
gas station attendants, firefighters, housekeepers, and security personnel. The robot
加油站服务人员、消防员、家庭主妇和安全人员的工作。机器人
business will continue to grow also. Anyone wanting to understand the industry of the future
生意将会继续生长。任何人想要了解未来工业的人
will have to know about robotics.
就必须要了解机器人。
B-1
Maglev: A New Generation in Railroad Technology
磁悬浮:新一代于铁路技术
The Japanese have one of the most advanced mass railroad systems in the world. The
日本有一个最先进的大规模铁路系统,在世界上。这
Shinkansen, referred to as the Bullet Train, covers thousands of kilometers of tracks at
新干线,即所谓“子弹头”列车,占地面积有几千公里的轨道
speeds in excess of 200 kilometers per hour. Each day the more than 270 bullet-nosed trains
以上的速度每小时200公里。每一天都超过270 bullet-nosed火车
convey 340,000 passengers throughout Japan. Since the Japanese system went into service in
34万乘客。日本全国传达因为日本的系统进入服务
1964, the trains have carried more than 1.8 billion travelers without an injury or a
1964年,火车把超过1.8亿游客受伤或者不
fatality. The well-maintained system is not only safe and fast, but it is not petroleum
的死亡率。维修良好的系统不仅安全快捷的,但它不是石油
dependent.
依赖。
The Japanese National Railways made a huge investment in time, money, and technical
日本国家铁路作出了巨大的投资时间、金钱、和技术
personnel in building the Shinkansen. Now, as always, on the cutting edge, they are working
人才新干线建设。现在,像往常一样,最时髦,他们正在工作
on developing the next generation of high-speed supertrains.
在研发新一代高速supertrains。
Technical specialists working at the Japanese National Railways have been experimenting with
技术专家工作在日本全国铁路实验了
a prototype magnetic levitation train. The maglev (an acronym for magnetic levitation) will
一个原型磁悬浮火车。磁悬浮列车(缩写磁悬浮)
actually race along a guideway at almost 500 kilometers per hour, floating on a magnetic
其实种族沿导轨近500公里每小时,是漂浮在一个磁性的
field. The maglev will operate on the basic principles of electromagnetism.
领域。磁悬浮列车将对其进行操作的基本原则,电磁学。
The train depends on magnetism for propulsion, suspension, and braking. Specialized sets of
火车取决于磁为推进,暂停,刹车。专业套
magnetic coils are built into the body framework of the train. Other sets of magnetic coils
磁线圈被造进身体框架在火车后面。其他组磁线圈
are installed in the bottom and sides of a U-shaped guideway that cradles the train. When