穿戴式科技?精采的還在後頭!

閱讀暖身
繼 Google 發表令人耳目一新的 Google Glass 之後,Apple 今年也推出了摩登、時尚的 Apple Watch, 穿戴式科技儼然成為數位市場的明日之星。而美國幾家新成立的小公司,已向 Google 與 Apple 丟出 戰帖,因為他們正在發展的穿戴式科技,計畫製造出薄入蟬翼、輕如鴻毛,尺寸甚至比 OK 繃還小, 可長期黏貼於身體特定部位的產品。
進入本文前,請先想想如何表達以下單字:

a) 附著 b) 天線
c) 止汗劑

Wearable technology seems to be 1) all the rage these days. You can take a picture hands-off just by whispering an order to the sophisticated Google Glass on your face. Or you can pay the bill for a Coke just by waving the chic Apple Watch on your wrist. These types of wearable computers are truly amazing, aren’t they? According to some experts, however, “you ain’t seen nothing yet” where wearable are concerned.

穿戴式科技逐漸炙手可熱。 你只要輕聲向臉上精巧的谷歌眼鏡下達指令,毋須動手便能拍照。或者 你只需揮揮手腕上的蘋果手錶,便能幫一瓶可口可樂付帳。這些穿戴式電腦的確令人嘖嘖稱奇,不 是嗎?而根據一些專家們的說法,就穿戴式科技而言,「精采的還在後頭」。

The New York Times reports that start-ups in the U.S. have 2) thrown down the gauntlet to Google and Apple. They believe that “we humans will become the actual computers, or at least the place where the technology will a) reside.” As a result, they are 3) breaking new ground by developing a class of wearable computers that attach to the skin like a Band-Aid. And, better yet, they are stretchable, bendable and incredibly thin.

《紐約時報》報導,美國數家新成立的小公司,已向谷歌與蘋果丟出戰帖。這些新興公司的創立者 相信「我們人類自己將成為電腦,或身體某部位將成為電腦所依附的地方」。因此,他們正在發展 一種能夠像 OK 繃般黏貼在皮膚上的穿戴式電腦,試圖開創嶄新的局面。更棒的是,此類電腦可拉 長、可彎曲、薄如蟬翼。

Advocates say there are a whole bunch of benefits. Attachable computers will be less expensive to make, provide greater accuracy, and offer the most utility, to name but a few. Equipped with wireless b) antennas and temperature and heart-rate sensors, they can collect all sorts of biometric data for medical and other purposes.

提倡此類產品者表示,這類型的電腦具備多項好處。舉例來說,附著式電腦的製造成本較低,準確 度較高,而且提供最大的實用性。 由於配備無線天線以及溫度與心跳等感應器,此類電腦能夠蒐集 各種用於醫療等用途的生物統計資料。

Imagine being able to slap a few Band-Aid-size sensors to your body when you go jogging, and then reading useful data from your exercise on your cell phone. Or maybe you want to find out which c) deodorant would suit you best. This could be done with a sticker that tracks your sweat level, and then emails you a few brand recommendations.

讓我們想像一下,慢跑之前,將幾個 OK 繃大小的感應器貼在身上,之後便可在手機上讀取有關你 運動時的有用數據。還有,你也許想找出最適合你的止汗劑。這只要一張能夠追蹤流汗量的貼紙便 能解決,而且你會收到一封推薦數種品牌的電子郵件。

Without a doubt, personal health and wellbeing will also be important factors in wearable devices, as consumers tend to rationalize buying a novel gadget by believing that it can better their health and fitness.

無庸置疑的是,個人的健康福祉,將會是穿戴式產品之後生產方向考量的重要因素,因為消費者傾
向藉由購買一項新產品裝置能夠改善其健康與身材,而合理化他們的購物衝動。

口語詞彙:

1. all the rage 風靡一時;走紅
   The plaid print is all the rage this fall, so plaid suits, skirts and sweaters are appearing in gray and black. 格紋圖案今秋大為流行,因此廠商正推出灰、黑色的格紋套裝、裙子與毛線衫。

2. Throw down the gauntlet 下戰帖
   gauntlet 原本的意思是中世紀武士用的金屬長手套。將手套往地上扔下,表示要挑戰或和敵人 決鬥的意思。也可以用 throw down the glove。
   A supermarket has thrown down the gauntlet to its competitors on the same street. 一間超級市場向 同一條街上的競爭者下了戰帖。

3. break new ground 創造新局面;獲得重大突破
   Scientists are breaking new ground in their quest to discover what causes the disease.科學家在尋找 該病原因時已經有了重大突破。
   With this agreement, the company is breaking new ground in dealing with sex discrimination. 有了 這項協議,該公司在處理性別歧視問題上,有了極大的進展。

參考資料: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/09/fashion/wearable-technology-that-feels-like-skin.html?_r=0