VOA慢速英語：無電池手機通過無線電信號獲取電能

New Battery-Free Cellphone Is Powered by Radio Signals

無電池手機通過無線電信號獲取電能

Researchers have built a cellphone that does not need batteries. They say the phone can send and receive calls using power from radio signals or light.

研究人員開發(fā)出了一種無需電池的手機。他們稱這種電話可以使用從無線電信號或光線中獲取的電能來實現(xiàn)接打電話。

A team from the University of Washington in Seattle is currently testing a prototype of the phone.

西雅圖市華盛頓大學的一個團隊目前正在測試這種手機的原型機。

The researchers were able to develop a device that uses much less power than any cellphones used today. This design allows the new phone to run on very small amounts of electricity.

研究人員開發(fā)出了一種耗電遠低于目前任何手機的裝置。這種設計使得這種新手機能夠以極小的電量運行。

Team member Vamsi Talla says the phone picks up small electrical signals known as radio frequency, or RF waves.

該團隊成員Vamsi Talla表示，這種手機能接收所謂的射頻波。

"Ambient RF waves are all around us. So, as an example, your FM station broadcasts radio waves, your AM stations do that, your TV stations, your cellphone towers. They all are transmitting RF waves."

他說：“周邊環(huán)境的射頻波無處不在。例如，F(xiàn)M電臺會發(fā)出無線電波，AM電臺、電視臺和手機信號塔也一樣，他們都會發(fā)出射頻波。”

The phone can also convert ambient light into electrical current for power, according to the researchers.

研究人員表示，這種手機還能將環(huán)境光線轉化為電能。

Shyam Gollakota is a professor in the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science and Engineering. He says the invention demonstrates great progress in new cellphone technology.

Shyam Gollakota是(華盛頓大學)保羅·艾倫計算機科學與工程學院的教授。他說，這項新發(fā)明讓新型手機技術取得了很大進步。

"This battery-free phone is a major leap in terms of the capabilities of battery-free devices. Because now we have a streaming device that can continuously talk as well as receive data, which is basically a phone."

他說：“這種無需電池的手機是無電池設備在性能方面的一次重大飛躍。因為我們現(xiàn)在開發(fā)出了這種可以持續(xù)通話和接收數(shù)據(jù)的流媒體設備，這基本上就是一種電話。”

The phone identifies speech going into the microphone and coming out of the speaker. These speech vibrations are then converted into radio signals by a device called a base station.

該手機能識別出進入麥克風的語音并從揚聲器中播放出來。這些語音震動然后被一種稱之為基站的設備轉換為無線電信號。

The prototype has been able to operate on power gathered from radio signals from a base station up to nine meters away, according to the researchers. Using power from ambient light, it has communicated with a base station up to 15 meters away.

研究人員稱，該原型機能夠從9米外的基站發(fā)出的無線電信號中的收集電能來運行。該手機還使用來自環(huán)境光線的電能同15米外的基站進行了通信。

The team says the base station operating model could eventually be widely used by putting the technology in existing cellphone towers and Wi-Fi systems.

該團隊表示，這種基站運行模式最終可以通過將這種技術集成到現(xiàn)有的手機信號塔和Wi-Fi系統(tǒng)中得到廣泛應用。

The researchers demonstrated the phone in a test with the calling service Skype. During the test, the device received an incoming call, made an outgoing call and was able to put callers on hold.

研究人員在一次Skype呼叫測試中展示了這種手機。在測試中，這種設備實現(xiàn)了接、打電話并且能夠保持呼叫等待。

The prototype has limited capabilities because it is not a finished product. For example, users now have to use headphones to hear calls and must also press a button to change between talking and listening. And currently, it can only be used for making calls.

這種原型機的性能有限，因為它不是成品。例如，使用者現(xiàn)在必須使用耳機來接聽電話，還必須按住一個按鈕才能在聽和說之間切換。而且目前它只能用于撥打電話。

However, the team plans to develop new prototypes that could handle texting, photos and internet use. They are also working on a version that could use a small solar cell to provide power.

然而該團隊計劃開發(fā)出可以發(fā)短信、照片和上網(wǎng)的新原型機。他們還致力于開發(fā)出使用小型太陽能電池提供電能的版本。

Vamsi Talla says he thinks the technology might be able to greatly change the capabilities of all phones.This includes solving one of the biggest problems for all users - dead batteries.

Vamsi Talla表示，他認為這項技術也許可以極大地改變所有手機的性能，包括解決所有用戶面臨的最大問題：電量耗盡。

"In the future every smartphone will come with a battery-free mode where you can at least make a voice call when your battery's dead."

他說：“未來每部智能手機都將配備無電池模式，這樣電池沒電時至少也能撥打語音電話。”

The researchers are hoping to complete a finished product within about nine months.

研究人員希望在9個月內(nèi)做出成品。

I'm Bryan Lynn.

我是布萊恩·林恩。