CNN News:蟑螂——生物機器人

Some scientists are hoping to turn roaches into rescuers. The research involves controlling Madagascar hissing cockroaches. And there are some ethical concerns with this.

一些科學(xué)們希望將蟑螂變成救生員。這項研究需要控制馬達加斯加嘶嘶叫的蟑螂。同時還有一些道德問題。

Is it right to manipulate animals with a radio transmitter?

用無線發(fā)射器操控動物，這樣做正確嗎?

Couldn`t people just build tiny robots instead?

難道人類不能建造機器人來替代這種做法嗎?

Scientists say living roaches come with their own power supply.

而科學(xué)家們說這些活著的蟑螂能自己提供能量補給。

Is it cruel?

這樣做殘忍嗎?

Some critics fear this could hurt the roaches or electrocute them.

一些評論人士擔心這樣做會傷害到蟑螂或者會電死它們。

Researchers say the roaches would simply run away if they were zapped. These go where the signals tell them to.

而研究人員稱在遇到攻擊時，它們只需要快速逃跑。它們會去信號指示的地方。

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Finding survivors under the rubble is a top priority in the desperate hours after a disaster. Search dogs can`t go into every crack and crevice, but roaches can.

男：災(zāi)難過后在碎石中尋找幸存者是首要的任務(wù)。但是搜救犬不能到達所有的裂縫或縫隙，但是蟑螂可以。

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You might not think of roaches as the hero type. But researchers at North Carolina State University are hoping they will be. They call them bio-bots. Scientists have strapped tiny backpacks onto cockroaches that manipulate their neural systems so they can steer them into small, dark spaces or guide them through a maze. The backpacks contain tracking gear and tiny microphones that pick up sounds of trapped victims` cries for help, alerting rescuers to their locations.

男：可能你不會認為蟑螂是英雄，但是北卡州立大學(xué)的研究者們卻是這樣希望的。他們把蟑螂稱為生物機器人。科學(xué)家們在蟑螂的背上系上小背包。這種背包可以操縱蟑螂的神經(jīng)系統(tǒng)，這樣科學(xué)家們就可以指揮它們進入狹小、黑暗的空間或者指導(dǎo)它們穿過迷宮。背包里面裝有跟蹤定位設(shè)備以及可以接收被困者求救聲、警示蟑螂自身位置的話筒。

Listen to this actual recording captured by a micced (ph) cockroach and transmitted around a corner to a receiver 16 meters away.

聽一下這個錄音。這個錄音是一個安裝了麥克風(fēng)的蟑螂捕捉的，然后傳輸給了在一個接收器。接收器位于16米遠的角落里。

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One, two, three.

男：1,2,3。

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Theoretically, rescuers could control the roaches by using apps on their smart phones.

男：理論上講，救生員可以利用智能手機上的應(yīng)用程序控制這些蟑螂。

What`s next?

下一步怎么做呢?

Eventually, the bio-bots could be mounted with tiny cameras, or infrared sensors that can detect heat, another way to find people trapped under debris.

最后，這些生物機器人會安裝上微型攝像機以及可以探測熱量的紅外傳感器，這是在廢墟中尋找被困者的另一種方法。

If this technology proves successful, first responders may some day arrive on the scene with a box of cockroaches wearing backpacks. Smart bio-bots that could save lives.

如果這項技術(shù)取得成功，未來的某一天，首批的使用者會攜帶一盒背著背包的蟑螂到達現(xiàn)場。這種智能的生物機器人就可以拯救生命了。