书城教材教辅智慧教育活动用书-网络前沿
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第9章 Wearable Computers

Can you imagine there is acomputer that is merely four-inch long?This computer can be conveniently carried and itsweight is almost equal to a leather jacket. It is “wearing computers.” Seen from the appearance, the latest model of wearing computer can be dressed just like in ordinary clothes, and it will be one of indispensable① tools for humanity in the future because of the lower price and rich functions.

This bag can wirelessly keep tabs on your belongings and remind you, just as you’re about to leave the house, to take your wallet. It can review the weather report and suggest that you grab an umbrella─or your sunshades. This purse can even upload your favorite songs onto your scarf.

Sure, a computing purse and scarf set may seem like the stuff of science fiction. But the next generation of wearable computers could become commonplace within a few years. Unit shipments of such wearable computers such as purses, watches, shirts would increase in number.

Powering this market are advancements in design and in fabric-embedded electronics. For example, new fibers called Aracon made of Kevlar and createdby DuPont (DD) are superstrong; it can conduct electricity and can be woven into ordinary-looking clothes. And chip packagingspecializing in wearable computers and developedbyInfineon (IFX) canensure the safty of chip during washing.

Unlike their predecessors②, these new wearable computers also make economic sense. The new product is more commercially available in sale. The average price will be next to an average leather purse.

This product can be used for medical services. It may also be used for losing weight throuth calculating③ the amount of energy and regulating diet scientifically.

With the wide application of wearing computer, perhapsthe scientific world will truly occurred described in the movie “Star Wars” a few years later.

① indispensable adj. 必不可少的,必需的[(+to/for)]

② predecessorn. 前任,前辈

③ calculate v. 计算[+(that)][+wh-]

可穿着电脑

你能否想象一台仅仅4英寸大小的电脑?用户可以方便地随身携带,重量与一件普通的皮夹克差不多。它就是 “可穿着式电脑”。最新型的可穿着电脑产品在外观方面与普通衣物几乎没有什么两样,而售价的降低和功能的丰富也许会使它成为未来人类不可或缺的工具之一。

这种 “小家伙”可以帮助用户通过无线方式与主人的其他财物保持联系,并随时随地提醒用户一些生活细节。当用户离开房间的时候,它会乖巧地提醒主人不要忘记携带钱包;在主人出行时,它会自动查询天气预报,帮助主人做到未雨绸缪;它甚至还可以在主人穿着的围脖中加入喜欢的歌曲。

的确,这些高科技的电脑更多情况下只能出现在科幻小说的情节当中。不过,下一代 “可穿着式电脑”产品在未来几年中将成为市场上的常见商品。这种高科技产品的销量,包括电脑钱包、电脑手表、电脑T恤,在数量上都将会有很大的提高。

高科技电脑产品的背后都有着坚实的技术支柱。如美国杜邦公司发明的一种名为Aracon的新型纤维材质,具有超高强度并可导电,并且可以被任意地折叠并制作成衣服。还有飞凌(Infineon)公司开发的一款专门用于可穿着电脑产品的芯片包,可以在衣物电脑被水洗的过程中保护芯片的安全。

与上一代昂贵的可穿着电脑不同,新型产品在售价方面更加廉价,平均售价将降至接近普通皮夹克的售价。

这种产品已可用于医疗服务领域,也可随时计算出用户所消耗的热量并科学地调节减肥者的膳食结构,用于减肥方面等。

随着可穿着电脑产品的广泛应用,也许再过几年电影《星球大战》中描述的那种科学世界将真正来临。