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Newsworthy Clips: A smart sensor 智能型传感器

 

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A smart sensor  智能型传感器

 

It may look like a Band-Aid, but this monitor promises to predict heart failure.

这个监测器也许看起来像是一片OK绷，但却能预测心脏衰竭的发生。

 

Most adhesive bandage help heal minor cuts and scrapes, but medical-tech company Corventis is working to make one that could save your life. The company’s first product, PiiX, is a wireless, water-resistant sensor that sticks to a patient’s chest like a large Band-Aid and monitors heart rate, respiratory rate, bodily fluids, and overall activity. It transmits the data to a central server for analysis and review by doctor and patient.

大多数黏贴型绷带是用来帮助轻微割伤与刮伤的愈合，柯文提斯这家医疗科技公司正在研发的却是能够拯救生命的绷带。该公司首样产品PiiX是一个防水的无线传感器，像个大型OK绷贴在病人胸膛上，监测心跳、呼吸频率、体液、及整个身体的活动情形。传感器会把数据传送到一个中央服务器，提供医师及病患分析检讨。

 

The basic technology platform has already received FDA approval, but Corventis envisions the PiiX as much more than a simple monitoring system. The company is working to generate algorithms that can predict, for instance, when a patient is on the verge of heart failure by comparing trends in his or her vital signs to other cases. “When you apply it in the real world, the algorithm begins to learn,” says CEO Ed Manicka. “Not from 5 or 10 patients, but from hundreds of thousands of patients, as the system is applied across the planet.”

这项基本技术平台已经获得美国食品药物管理局的核可，但是柯文提斯公司对PiiX这项产品的愿景，不只是一个简单的监测系统而已，该公司致力研发具有预测功能的运算法则处理程序，例如将病患的生命征象趋势与其他病例互相比较，可以预测病人即将出现心脏衰竭的状况。「将这套程序应用在真实世界时，它就会开始学习，」柯文提斯公司执行长艾德．曼尼卡表示。「学习对象不是五个或是十个病人而已，把这套系统运用在全世界时，学习的对象就是数十万病人。」

 

Corventis is running large clinical trials now and plans to file for FDA approval on its first predictive algorithms in 2010. Manika says the technology could eventually be used to help predict strokes and diagnose conditions such as sleep apnea. “What Corventis is trying to do is fundamentally create a new type of machine intelligence that serves to manage the patient’s overall health,” he says. “It moves from the reactive approach of practicing medicine that is prevalent today to something that is much more proactive, preventive, and individualized.”

柯文提斯公司目前正在进行大规模临床试验，计划在二０一０年为首项预测型运算处理程序向美国食品药物管理局申请许可。曼尼卡指出，该技术最终可以用来预测中风以及诊断出如睡眠呼吸暂停症等病症。「柯文提斯致力于从根本上建立一种新型智慧机器，可以用来管理病患整体健康状况。」曼尼卡表示，「这种技术会将目前盛行的被动反应式的医疗方式，变成更积极主动的个人化预防方式。」

 

−by Tim McKeough

 

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adhesive [ədˋhisɪv] adj. 黏的；黏着的；有黏性的

scrape [skrep] n. 擦伤；擦痕

bodily [ˋbɑdɪlɪ] adj. 肉体的，身体的

envision [ɪnˋvɪʒən] v. 想象，展望

algorithm [ˋælgə͵rɪðm] n. 算法；规则系统 a set of instructions that must be followed in a fixed order to help to calculate an answer to a problem

sleep apnea 睡眠呼吸暂停 a disorder that causes repeated interruption of breathing during sleep

apnea [æpˋniə] n.【医】呼吸暂停；窒息

 

 

 

 

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New rule to let fliers off after 3 hours  美国新规定：班机延误三小时以上，要让乘客下机

 

Passenger-rights advocates called it a miracle when the Transportation Department announced a new rule to let passengers off stranded planes after three hours. The new rule, which takes effect in late April and applies only to domestic flights, prohibits airlines from letting an aircraft remain on an airport tarmac for more than three hours without deplaning passengers.

美国运输部日前宣布一项新规定，班机在机坪上延误三小时以上者，要让乘客下机，此举让乘客权益支持人士直呼奇迹出现。新规定指出，班机在机坪上等候逾三小时者，航空公司必须让已登机乘客下机，该项规定将于四月下旬生效，仅适用于美国国内航线。

 

Exceptions are allowed for safety or security, or when air traffic controllers notify a pilot that returning to terminal would disrupt operations. The rule came as a pleasant surprise to consumer advocates who had grown frustrated that a bill in Congress to help stuck passengers was stalled.

然而若有安全或安检考虑，或是飞航管制人员告知机长，返回登机门会干扰机场作业时，可不在此限。争取消费者权益人士原本因为一项协助困在机上乘客的法案卡在国会而备感气馁，这项规定的颁布为他们带来惊喜。

 

“We have achieved our near-term goals of a mandatory three-hour rule,” says Kate Hanni of FlyersRights.org.

飞航旅客权益组织的凯蒂．汉妮表示，「我们达成了三小时强制规定的近程目标。」

 

The rule is a setback for airlines, however. They have strongly opposed a government-ordered limit on how long they could keep passengers on planes. The Air Transportation Association, which represents major U.S. airlines, says the new rule will be detrimental to passengers.

然而对航空业者而言，这项规定却是个挫败。业者强烈反对政府明令限制将乘客留置机上的时限，代表美国主要航空公司的航空运输协会指出，新规定对乘客有弊无利。

 

“We will comply with the new rule even though we believe it will lead to unintended consequences – more canceled flights and greater passenger inconvenience,” says James May, the association’s CEO. “The requirement of having planes return to the gates within a three-hour window or face significant fines is inconsistent with our goal of completing as many flights as possible.”

「虽然我们认为新规定会导致始料未及的后果──例如更多航班遭取消、造成乘客更大的不便，不过我们还是会遵守，」航空运输协会执行长詹姆士．梅伊表示。「延误三小时以上的班机须返回登机门（译注：window指某种活动容许发生的时限），否则处以巨额罚锾，这种规定不符合我们尽可能完成最多航班起降的目标。」

 

The rule will apply to all U.S. passenger airlines operating flights with more than 30 seats, department spokeswoman Olivia Alair says.

运输部发言人奥莉薇．亚莱指出，新规定适用于营运航班超过三十个座位的所有美国民航业者。

 

The new rule also requires U.S. airlines to adopt policies for tarmac delays on international flights. According to Alair, an airline with a policy allowing passengers off a plane after a certain number of hours during a delay might be subject to a fine if it doesn’t adhere to its policy.

该项新规定同时也要求美国航业者的国际航班实行机坪延误限制政策，亚莱表示，航空公司订出让乘客下机的班机延误时限后，若不依照其政策执行，可能也会遭到罚锾。

 

−by Gary Stoller

 

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flier [ˋflaɪɚ] n. 飞机乘客 a passenger in an aircraft

advocate [ˋædvəkɪt] n. 提倡者；拥护者

stranded [ˋstrændɪd] adj. 滞留的

take effect 生效, 起作用 to become operative, as under law or regulation

tarmac [ˋtɑr͵mæk] n. 铺有柏油碎石的飞机跑道 the area at an airport where aircraft land and take off

deplane [diˋplen] v. 使.. 下飞机；从飞机上卸下 to leave an aircraft

disrupt [dɪsˋrʌpt] v. 使混乱，使中断

stall [stɔl] v. 使陷入泥潭；使动弹不得; 暂时阻止 deliberately delay an event or action

setback [ˋsɛt͵bæk] n. 挫折；失败

comply [kəmˋplaɪ] v.（对要求、命令等）依从，顺从，遵从[（+with）]

unintended [͵ʌnɪnˋtɛndɪd] adj. 无意的；不是存心的

window [ˋwɪndo] n. (日程安排等中的)空当，空隙 a period of unbooked time in a schedule, etc.

passenger airline 客运航空公司

adopt [əˋdɑpt] v. 接受; 采取

subject [ˋsʌbdʒɪkt] adj. 遭受…的[H][+to]

 

 

 

 

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Apple’s magic mouse is simple, beautiful, functional  苹果神奇鼠标，极简、中看又中用

 

Apple is no stranger to beautiful simplicity. But the beauty of their products is more than just skin-deep. Their designs also enhance their products’ functionality. And Apple’s latest version of their mouse is certainly no exception.

苹果电脑公司是极简美学个中高手，不过苹果产品绝非徒具肤浅的外在美，产品的设计同时也强化了功能性。当然，苹果最新推出的鼠标也不例外。

 

The cordless Apple Magic Mouse has laser tracking, offers some amazing controls to its user and it does all of it with absolutely no buttons anywhere. When you take a first look at the Magic Mouse, there’s really nothing to see except the mouse itself. The entire surface of the Magic Mouse is a seamless, multi-touch surface. Anyone who’s used an iPhone is familiar with the multi-touch principle.

苹果无线神奇鼠标（Magic Mouse）具备雷射追踪功能，提供用户奇妙的操控感，却完全没有按键。第一眼看见神奇鼠标时，除了鼠标本体以外真的别无他物。神奇鼠标具有无缝的多点触控表面，用过iPhone的人对于多点触控操作策略一定不陌生。

 

Since we’re talking about a computer mouse, it makes perfect sense to first make its basic functions work like any other mouse. So the Magic Mouse is configured as a two-button mouse with a scroll wheel, but with no buttons and no scroll wheel. Just position your hand over the Magic Mouse with your index and third finger resting on its surface. Tap the surface with your index finger to yield a left-button click. Sliding your index finger up and down the center makes the selected window move correspondingly.

既然是电脑用的鼠标，首先要让基本功能和其他鼠标相同，当然合情合理，所以神奇鼠标也是两按键一滚轮的设计，但是却没有按键与滚轮。用户只要握住神奇鼠标，将食指与中指放在鼠标上，食指在鼠标表面点一下，等同于按左键；中指点一下，即是右键单击。食指在鼠标中央上下滑动，可以让点选的窗口跟着移动。

 

But the Magic Mouse takes things further. Move that same finger left and right for horizontal scrolling. Hold down the control key and your finger scroll will enlarge and reduce image sizes. If you use both fingers in a left or right swiping gesture while in a web browser, you will page back and forward one page at a time.

然而神奇鼠标还不止于此。用食指左右移动即可平行卷动。按住控制键、再以单指卷动，就能放大缩小影像尺寸。在网页浏览器中用双指左右轻扫，就能回到上一页或是进入下一页。

 

Typically, simplicity comes with less functionality. But Apple seems to keep breaking that rule and the Magic Mouse is definitely another rule-breaker. If your Mac meets the minimum requirements, you’re going to want this mouse.

一般而言，简单意指功能减少。但是苹果似乎一直在打破这个原则，而神奇鼠标绝对也是个不按牌理出牌的产品。如果你的麦金塔电脑合乎基本配备要求，你一定会想要这个鼠标。

 

−by Craig Crossman

 

单词发音

 

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functional [ˋfʌŋkʃən!] adj. 实用的

(be+) no stranger to something 对…熟悉，对…有经验 to be familiar with a particular experience or activity

cordless [ˋkɔrdlɪs] adj. 不用电线的；无绳的

configure [kənˋfɪgɚ] v. 配置; 安装, 装配

scroll wheel 滚轮 the small rubbery or plastic part of a computer mouse, usually located between the left and right button

index [ˋɪndɛks] n. 食指

tap [tæp] v. 轻拍，轻叩，轻敲

correspondingly [͵kɔrəˋspɑndɪŋlɪ] adv. 相应地；相同地；相关地

 

 

 

 

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Vocabulary Focus

on the verge 濒临; 接近于… very close to experiencing something

prevalent [ˋprɛvələnt] adj. 流行的，盛行的；普遍的 existing very commonly or happening often

proactive [proˋæktɪv] adj. 积极主动的 taking action by causing change, rather than only reacting to change when it happens

mandatory [ˋmændə͵torɪ] adj. 强制的 describes something which must be done, or which is demanded by law

detrimental [dɛtrəˋmɛnt!] adj. 有害的；不利的 causing harm or damage

skin-deep [ˋskɪnˋdip] adj. 肤浅的, 表面的 not carefully considered or strongly felt

functionality [͵fʌnkʃəˋnælɪtɪ] n. 功能 any or all of the operations performed by a piece of equipment or a software program

seamless [ˋsimlɪs] adj. 无缝的；无缝合线的 without any lines or cracks where two parts join together

swipe [swaɪp] v. 碰擦，擦过；刷（卡）；（手指在屏幕上）滑动 to touch something by brushing its surface, especially with a sideways movement

 

 

Mobile Cardiac Telemetry System, PiiX

 

 

Apple Magic Mouse - Official Features Overview