(单词翻译:单击)
听力文本
We can express thoughts and feelings and send sounds and pictures on our smartphones today. We also communicate using programs like Skype and Face Time. We can't send tastes, smells or touch, of course. But scientists in Britain are trying to develop a way for smartphones to do just that.
Adrian David Cheok is a professor at City University in London. He wants people to experience communication using all of their senses.
"In the real world, we can open up the glass, open the window. We can touch, we can taste, we can smell in the real world."
To give users a sense of taste, researchers designed two electrodes that are placed on the tongue. A chemical process creates different tastes through molecules on the surface of the tongue. This chemical process sends electrical signals that convince the brain that a person is tasting something. They have already created sour, salty, sweet and bitter tastes.
"You put these two silver electrodes in your mouth, you put your tongue in between and then it stimulates electrically your tongue and you get a virtual taste perception in your brain."
A device called "Scentee" permits users to have the sense of smell. Scentee plugs into a smartphone and can spray tiny clouds of fragrances, including flowers, fruits and coffee. Professor Cheok says the person speaking can activate the device.
"Basically what happens, we have an app, it connects to the Internet and then this will release a scent from your mobile phone."
Scentee holds a container with about 100 different smells. The container must be replaced when all the scents run out.
The sense of touch comes from a ring-like device. It is connected wirelessly to the smartphone. The device sends a soft, electrical squeeze when a person on the other end of a telephone conversation does the same. Professor Cheok says this permits a kind of wireless touch communication.
"I can be in London and my friend can be in Tokyo, and I can squeeze my finger and then they'll get a squeeze on their finger through the Internet. It's a way of touch communication with small mobile devices."
Professor Cheok says he hopes devices like these will someday be added to houses. He says they may change the future of long-distance communication.
I'm Jonathan Evans.
词汇解释
1.electrode n. [电] 电极；电焊条
Two electrodes that measure changes in the body's surface moisture are attached to the palms of your hands.
测量体表湿度变化的两个电极被连接到你的双掌上。
2.perception n. 知觉；[生理] 感觉；看法；洞察力；获取
It did not require a lot of perception to realize the interview was over.
不需要很强的洞察力就可以意识到面试结束了。
3.activate vt. 刺激；使活动；使活泼；使产生放射性 vi. 激活；有活力
Video cameras with night vision can be activated by movement.
有夜视功能的摄像机能被物体的活动激活。
内容解析
1.The container must be replaced when all the scents run out.
run out 用完；耗尽；跑出；到期；伸向
They have run out of ideas.
他们已经想不出办法了。
Conditions are getting worse and supplies are running out.
情况越来越糟，给养也快耗尽了。
参考译文
如今我们可以在智能手机上表达想法和感受，发送声音和图片，还能使用Skype和Face Time这样的应用来进行沟通。当然我们无法发送味道、气味和触感，但英国的科学家们希望能想办法让智能手机做到这一点。
阿德里安·戴维·切克是伦敦城市大学的一名教授，他想让人们使用各种感官来进行交流。
“在真实世界中，我们可以打开玻璃杯、打开窗户，可以触摸东西、品尝食物和闻气味。”
为了给用户带来味觉，研究人员设计了能放置在舌头上的两个电极。通过舌头表面分子进行的化学过程能创造味道，这种化学过程能发送电信号，使大脑相信此人在品尝食物。他们已经创造了酸、咸、甜和苦味。
“把这两个银电极放在嘴中，把舌头放在中间，然后就能用电信号刺激舌头，你大脑中就能得到虚拟的味觉感受。”
一种名叫Scentee的设备将让用户获得嗅觉，Scentee插入到智能手机中，它可以喷出包括鲜花、水果和咖啡的香雾。切克教授说人通过讲话就能激活这种设备。
“基本上说就是有了个应用，它连接到互联网，然后就能从手机中释放出香味。”
Scentee中有个含有100种气味的容器，当所有气味释放完后可以将容器替换掉。
触觉来自一个环状装置，被无线连接到智能手机上。这种设备释放出轻柔的电挤压，跟电话那头通话者的动作一致。切克教授说这就让无线触觉沟通成为可能。
“我在伦敦而我的朋友在东京，我捏我的手指，然后通过互联网他们的手指也受到挤压，这是通过小型移动装置实现的触觉沟通。”
切克教授称他希望这类设备有一天能安装到房子里，他说这可能会改变未来的长距离沟通。
我是乔纳森·伊万斯。
