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VOA慢速新闻
【Using the Brain to Move a Robotic Arm】
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This is the VOA Special English Technology Report.
这里是美国之音慢速英语科技报道。
Cathy Hutchinson is a tetraplegic. She has not been able to move her arms, legs or speak since suffering a stroke nearly fifteen years ago. Recently, she learned how to control a robotic arm using her thoughts. She now can use brain activity to serve herself a drink.
Cathy Hutchinson是一名四肢瘫痪者。自从15年前中风以来，她的手臂、双腿都无法活动，也无法说话。最近她学会了用思维来控制一只机械臂。她现在可以通过大脑活动给自己倒杯饮料。
The American woman is one of two people who took part in a research project known as BrainGate2. The researchers have spent years studying how to help people who are paralyzed regain movement in their arms and legs.
她是BrainGate2研究项目的两名测试者之一。研究人员花了数年时间研究如何帮助瘫痪者再度活动四肢。
John Donoghue is a neuroscientist with Brown University and the Department of Veterans Affairs. He also was part of the project.
John Donoghue是布朗大学以及美国退伍军人事务所的一名神经学学者，他也是该项目研究人员之一。
JOHN DONOGHUE: “People who are paralyzed have their brain disconnected from their body. So they are not able to go out and do everyday things that you and I can do, like reach for a glass of water or scratch your nose. So our idea is to bypass that damaged nervous system and go directly from the brain to the outside world so the brain signals can, not control muscle, but control machines or devices like a computer or a robotic limb.”
JOHN DONOGHUE：“瘫患者的大脑与身体已断绝了联系，所以无法走出去，无法做你我能做的任何事，比如拿杯水或刮鼻子。所以我们就想绕过受损的神经系统，直接将大脑与外部世界联系起来，这样大脑信号就可无需控制肌肉，而是控制像电脑或机器人假肢之类的机器或设备。”
The two paralyzed people had small sensors connected to the part of the brain that controls movement. The devices measured brain activity and sent that information to a computer.
这两名瘫痪者被植入了一个连接到大脑中控制运动的部分的小型传感器。这种设备可以测量大脑活动，并将大脑活动信息传送给计算机。
The computer has special software that turns the information into digital commands for operating other devices. The researchers used a highly developed robotic arm to recreate human actions.
该计算机拥有一个特殊软件，可以将这些信息转换为操作其它设备的数字命令。研究人员使用了一个高度发达的机械臂来重现人类活动。
Scientists from Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School and the German Aerospace Center also took part in the study.
马萨诸塞州总医院、哈佛医学院和德国航空中心的科学家们都参与了这项研究。
The BrainGate team had its first success in two thousand six. A tetraplegic stabbing victim was able use the brain-computer interface system to control a computer cursor. John Donoghue says the latest development using robotic arms is a major victory.
BrainGate团队在2006年首获成功。一名四肢瘫痪者当时能够使用大脑-计算机接口系统控制计算机光标。John Donoghue称，最近在使用机器人手臂上的进展是个重大胜利。
A video of the latest experiment shows Cathy Hutchinson using the robotic arm to pick up a cup of coffee. She guides the cup toward her mouth, moves it forward and drinks through a straw.
一个最新实验的视频显示，Cathy Hutchinson使用机械臂拿起一杯咖啡，并将杯子移动到嘴边通过吸管喝到咖啡。
Lead investigator Leigh Hochberg says the first time she did it was a magical moment.
首席研究Leigh Hochberg说，她第一次完成这个动作时是一个神奇的时刻。
LEIGH HOCHBERG: “To see her with that robotic arm reach out and pick up that cup of coffee and serve herself that coffee for the first time in nearly fifteen years, it was an incredible moment.”
LEIGH HOCHBERG：“看到她用机器人手臂够着并拿起咖啡杯，15年来第一次能自己喝咖啡，这是个不可思议的时刻。”
The research team carried out almost two hundred tests with two different robotic arms. The two individuals were able to pick up their target objects forty-three to sixty-six percent of the time.
该研究小组就使用两种不同的机械臂进行了近两百次测试。这两名瘫痪者都能够（使用机械臂）拿起目标物体，成功率为43%到66%。
The researchers are calling the information very promising. But they say it will take years to fully develop the technology for everyday use.
研究人员称，这些信息非常有前途。但他们说，还需要多年的时间来将这一科技充分开发到日常使用中。
A report on the BrainGate study appeared last week in the scientific journal Nature.
一份关于BrainGate的研究报告上周发表在《自然》科学杂志上。
