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【Using the Brain to Move a Robotic Arm】
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This is the VOA Special English Technology Report.
這里是美國之音慢速英語科技報道。
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是一名四肢癱瘓者。自從15年前中風以來，她的手臂、雙腿都無法活動，也無法說話。最近她學會了用思維來控制一只機械臂。她現在可以通過大腦活動給自己倒杯飲料。
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研究項目的兩名測試者之一。研究人員花了數年時間研究如何幫助癱瘓者再度活動四肢。
John Donoghue is a neuroscientist with Brown University and the Department of Veterans Affairs. He also was part of the project.
John Donoghue是布朗大學以及美國退伍軍人事務所的一名神經學學者，他也是該項目研究人員之一。
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：“癱患者的大腦與身體已斷絕了聯系，所以無法走出去，無法做你我能做的任何事，比如拿杯水或刮鼻子。所以我們就想繞過受損的神經系統，直接將大腦與外部世界聯系起來，這樣大腦信號就可無需控制肌肉，而是控制像電腦或機器人假肢之類的機器或設備。”
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.
這兩名癱瘓者被植入了一個連接到大腦中控制運動的部分的小型傳感器。這種設備可以測量大腦活動，并將大腦活動信息傳送給計算機。
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.
該計算機擁有一個特殊軟件，可以將這些信息轉換為操作其它設備的數字命令。研究人員使用了一個高度發達的機械臂來重現人類活動。
Scientists from Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School and the German Aerospace Center also took part in the study.
馬薩諸塞州總醫院、哈佛醫學院和德國航空中心的科學家們都參與了這項研究。
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團隊在2006年首獲成功。一名四肢癱瘓者當時能夠使用大腦-計算機接口系統控制計算機光標。John Donoghue稱，最近在使用機器人手臂上的進展是個重大勝利。
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.
一個最新實驗的視頻顯示，Cathy Hutchinson使用機械臂拿起一杯咖啡，并將杯子移動到嘴邊通過吸管喝到咖啡。
Lead investigator Leigh Hochberg says the first time she did it was a magical moment.
首席研究Leigh Hochberg說，她第一次完成這個動作時是一個神奇的時刻。
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：“看到她用機器人手臂夠著并拿起咖啡杯，15年來第一次能自己喝咖啡，這是個不可思議的時刻。”
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.
該研究小組就使用兩種不同的機械臂進行了近兩百次測試。這兩名癱瘓者都能夠（使用機械臂）拿起目標物體，成功率為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.
研究人員稱，這些信息非常有前途。但他們說，還需要多年的時間來將這一科技充分開發到日常使用中。
A report on the BrainGate study appeared last week in the scientific journal Nature.
一份關于BrainGate的研究報告上周發表在《自然》科學雜志上。
