VOA慢速英語(yǔ)：未來(lái)購(gòu)物新情況：3D打印與AR現(xiàn)實(shí)技術(shù)
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These days, shopping often involves an Internet connection and a laptop or smartphone. However, businesses are now trying to use new technology, such as 3D printing and augmented reality, to bring customers back into stores.
At the recent National Retail Federation show in New York City, many companies demonstrated these new technologies. One, the computer company Intel, is experimenting with 3D printing. It is using the Mach 2XS commercial printer.
Instead of printing words on paper, the Mach 2XS prints clothes. For example, it uses thread to print out a sweater. It prints the sweater out row by row, until it is fully formed.
Ryan Parker is the general manager of Responsive Retail at Intel. He says the 3D printers print out clothing, made just for the individual in size and style, in about 45 minutes.
Bringing consumers back to stores
More and more consumers shop online. But young people still seem to like going to physical stores. A recent study shows that 67 percent of people between ages 13 to 21 shop in physical stores most of the time. The IBM Institute for Business Value and the National Retail Federation did the study.
A London-based company, Ads Reality, is trying to use augmented-reality, or AR technology in stores. Augmented reality is a technology that creates computer-generated images and projects them in a way that they look real.
“When it’s used in the right way, it’s a very powerful tool to drive mobile engagement and store traffic,” said Richard Corps, managing director.
The company’s latest product is an “AR Window.” It superimposes life-sized augmented-reality characters on big screens in store windows.
“It looks like those characters are actually inside the store ... it stops people outside the store because they’re amazed to see these characters ... and then it drives them inside the store because they want to have their photograph taken with these characters,” Corps said.
Customer service robots
Customer service robots might also become a common store experience. The New York company Autonomous is experimenting with customer service robots. These wheeled devices include a Wi-Fi connection to a real person who can be seen on the robot’s screen.
Robots in a hardware store, for example, could be operated from anywhere by experts in different fields, like plumbing or electrical wiring.
Autonomous chief Duy Huynh says the robots can make the shopping experience personal.
“With our technology, when you walk into a store one of our robots will approach you and behind the robot, [it’s] going to bring someone who knows your shopping habits, who has been helping you for the past six months, who knows what you need, to talk to you. So to us that’s really, really important and that’s the very first time you can actually do personalization offline.”
I’m Phil Dierking.
This story was originally written for VOAnews.com by. Phil Dierking adapted this story for Learning English using other media. Caty Weaver was the editor.
Do you prefer to shop online or at physical stores? Why? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.
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Words in This Story
amaze – v. to fill someone with wonder.
augmented reality – n. a technology that superimposes a computer-generated image on a user's view of the real world.
3D printing – n. the process of making a physical object from a three-dimensional digital model.
character – n. a person who appears in a story, book, play, movie, or television show.
consumer – n. a person who buys goods and services.
customer – n. someone who buys goods or services from a business.
product – n. something that is made or grown to be sold or used.
robot – n. a real or imaginary machine that is controlled by a computer and is often made to look like a human or animal.
thread – n. a long, thin piece of cotton, silk, etc., used for sewing.
superimpose – v. to place or lay something over something else.
sweater – n. a warm usually knitted piece of clothing for the upper part of your body.
These days, shopping often involves an Internet connection and a laptop or smartphone. However, businesses are now trying to use new technology, such as 3D printing and augmented reality, to bring customers back into stores.
最近，購(gòu)物通常和網(wǎng)購(gòu)、筆記本電腦或者智能手機(jī)聯(lián)系在一起。但是，商業(yè)圈目前試圖打造一項(xiàng)新科技，比如利用3D技術(shù)和增擴(kuò)現(xiàn)實(shí)使消費(fèi)者重新到實(shí)體店購(gòu)物。
At the recent National Retail Federation show in New York City, many companies demonstrated these new technologies. One, the computer company Intel, is experimenting with 3D printing. It is using the Mach 2XS commercial printer.
最近在紐約市舉行的國(guó)家零售聯(lián)合展出中，許多公司都展示了這項(xiàng)新科技。其中因特爾公司目前正在試驗(yàn)這項(xiàng)3D新技術(shù)。該公司利用Mach 2XS 打印機(jī)。
Instead of printing words on paper, the Mach 2XS prints clothes. For example, it uses thread to print out a sweater. It prints the sweater out row by row, until it is fully formed.
Mach 2XS 打印機(jī)不是將字打印到紙上，而是打印到衣服上。例如，它可以用毛線織出一件毛衣。打印機(jī)一縷一縷地織出毛衣，直至完工。
Ryan Parker is the general manager of Responsive Retail at Intel. He says the 3D printers print out clothing, made just for the individual in size and style, in about 45 minutes.
李安·帕克是因特爾公司零售反饋的總經(jīng)理。他說(shuō)，3D打印機(jī)可以在45分鐘內(nèi)做出符合個(gè)人大小和風(fēng)格的衣服。
Bringing consumers back to stores
引領(lǐng)消費(fèi)者實(shí)體店購(gòu)物
More and more consumers shop online. But young people still seem to like going to physical stores. A recent study shows that 67 percent of people between ages 13 to 21 shop in physical stores most of the time. The IBM Institute for Business Value and the National Retail Federation did the study.
越來(lái)越多的消費(fèi)者選擇網(wǎng)購(gòu)。但是年輕消費(fèi)群體還是青睞實(shí)體店購(gòu)物。最近一項(xiàng)由IBM商業(yè)評(píng)估機(jī)構(gòu)和國(guó)家零售聯(lián)盟聯(lián)合做出的調(diào)查顯示，年齡在13-21歲中67%的消費(fèi)者大部分會(huì)選擇實(shí)體店購(gòu)物。
A London-based company, Ads Reality, is trying to use augmented-reality, or AR technology in stores. Augmented reality is a technology that creates computer-generated images and projects them in a way that they look real.
總部位于倫敦的Ads Reality公司嘗試在實(shí)體店使用模擬現(xiàn)實(shí)技術(shù)或AR技術(shù)。增擴(kuò)現(xiàn)實(shí)技術(shù)是一項(xiàng)利用電腦產(chǎn)生的圖像并對(duì)這些圖像進(jìn)行操控，從而使這些圖像看起來(lái)更加真實(shí)的技術(shù)。
“When it’s used in the right way, it’s a very powerful tool to drive mobile engagement and store traffic,” said Richard Corps, managing director.
“用對(duì)了的話(huà)，這項(xiàng)技術(shù)可以增加電話(huà)訂單，店里人流量也會(huì)增多。”管理總監(jiān)理查德如是說(shuō)。
The company’s latest product is an “AR Window.” It superimposes life-sized augmented-reality characters on big screens in store windows.
公司最新一項(xiàng)產(chǎn)品是“模擬窗戶(hù)”。在商店窗口上添加真人大小的虛擬人物。
“It looks like those characters are actually inside the store ... it stops people outside the store because they’re amazed to see these characters ... and then it drives them inside the store because they want to have their photograph taken with these characters,” Corps said.
看起來(lái)這些人物就像真的在商店里一樣，這樣人們被這些人物吸引，就會(huì)駐足店外，吸引人們進(jìn)入店內(nèi)和這些人物拍照?？茽柶账拐f(shuō)道。
Customer service robots
為消費(fèi)者服務(wù)的機(jī)器人
Customer service robots might also become a common store experience. The New York company Autonomous is experimenting with customer service robots. These wheeled devices include a Wi-Fi connection to a real person who can be seen on the robot’s screen.
機(jī)器人售貨員或許也會(huì)成為普通商店的一道風(fēng)景。位于紐約的機(jī)器人公司目前正在試驗(yàn)機(jī)器人服務(wù)員。這些轉(zhuǎn)輪式的機(jī)器內(nèi)部有無(wú)線連接裝置連接消費(fèi)者，消費(fèi)者能夠看到機(jī)器人屏幕內(nèi)容。
Robots in a hardware store, for example, could be operated from anywhere by experts in different fields, like plumbing or electrical wiring.
例如，在硬件商店，機(jī)器人可以服務(wù)多項(xiàng)工作，比如插電或者纏繞電線。
Autonomous chief Duy Huynh says the robots can make the shopping experience personal.
機(jī)器人公司總裁Duy Huynh表示，機(jī)器人能夠使購(gòu)物體驗(yàn)變得更加真實(shí)。
“With our technology, when you walk into a store one of our robots will approach you and behind the robot, [it’s] going to bring someone who knows your shopping habits, who has been helping you for the past six months, who knows what you need, to talk to you. So to us that’s really, really important and that’s the very first time you can actually do personalization offline.”
“有了這項(xiàng)技術(shù)，一旦消費(fèi)者進(jìn)入商店，其中一個(gè)機(jī)器人就會(huì)上前，并且后面的機(jī)器人則會(huì)推選出一個(gè)了解你購(gòu)物習(xí)慣、在過(guò)去六個(gè)月內(nèi)曾經(jīng)為你服務(wù)過(guò)又知道你所需要的機(jī)器人和你攀談。所以對(duì)我們來(lái)說(shuō)，它們真的是非常非常重要，這真的是第一次你可以真正使用機(jī)器人為你服務(wù)。”
I’m Phil Dierking.
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