假如日本机器人被用于军事

FT东京分社社长罗宾·哈丁（Robin Harding）从身边小事说起，探讨东京房价不涨的奥秘东京大学石川教授用了40年，就为了发明一款能够永远在“石头剪刀布”游戏中战胜人类的机器手臂，这得益于它的高速图像处理器。同样，本田公司的ASIMO可以单脚跳跃，这款现在用于娱乐的机器人已经走向成熟。

1 石川教授的新发明

25 years ago, Professor Ishikawa started to work on what is currently the world's fastest high-speed image processor.15 years ago, he started to research on the world's fastest actuator.

25年前，石川教授就开始研究现在世界上速度最快的图像处理器。15年前他又开始研究世界上速度最快的传动装置。

At the moment, the hand looks innocent enough.It plays the classic game of rock, scissors, paper, or Jan Ken Pon as it's known in Japan.But Ishikawa's creation has a dark secret.It cheats, and it cannot lose.

就目前而言，这条机械臂看上去还很单纯，它会玩石头剪刀布的经典游戏，在日本也被称为划拳。不过，这项发明却有个不可告人的秘密：它会作弊，因此它绝不会输。

The image processor tracks your hand's movement more quickly than the human eye can register.Before you even know that has happened, it sees what sign you have made and sends the winning move to the actuator.

这个图像处理器能跟踪人类手臂的移动，它的识别速度比人眼要快得多。甚至在人类意识到动作发生之前，它就已经能识别出你的动作了，同时向传送装置发送能够取胜的命令。

2 新技术的应用前景

What matters is not the game, but what the technology behind it could ultimately be used for.重要的并不是游戏本身，而是游戏背后的科技最终可能取得何种应用。

Ishikawa said his sensors would come very handy on a self-driving car, in a high speed manufacturing plant or even for sports television.But others, especially those are involved in military innovation see even more potential.

石川教授表示它的传感器对于自动驾驶汽车来说会是非常有用的技术。它也可被用于高速制造工厂，甚至体育电视直播。

Ishikawa is against this, and so for the last 70 years have been most of Japan's state universities.But across town, at Japan's Defense Ministry, momentum and Abe government's policy is building towards a change.

石川教授反对机器人被用于军事，日本大多数公立高校在过去70年里也持有类似看法。但就在东京另一端的日本防卫省，那里的势头及安倍政府的政策，都在导向可能发生的改变。

The robots Japan rolls out are impressive, cute and fun.Honda and his rivals have spent millions and they've caught the public imagination.Now finally the technology is making its way into the daily life of the ordinary people.

日本推出了多款机器人，它们给人留下深刻的印象，既有趣又可爱。本田及其竞争对手已经为此花费数百万美元，引起了公众的无限遐想。如今机器人技术终于要走入普通百姓的生活了。

3 用于军事的潜在可能

Every day, Professor Ishikawa receives hundreds of e-mails from company around the world interested in the potential commercial applications for his technology.He also told us that at the end of an international conference, he was approached by people who were interested in the potential military applications for his technology

石川教授每天都能收到来自世界各地企业的邮件，他们关心该技术的潜在商业应用。教授还跟我们说，在某次国际会议结束后，还有人想和他谈谈该技术在军事领域的可能应用。

Tokyo University has placed a ban for 70 years on its professors engaging in researches that could lead to military applications, but there are people who want that to change.

70年来，东京大学一直禁止教授参与可应用于军事的研究项目，但有人希望改变这一点。

The robot we watch today that can beat me every time at rock, scissors, paper, could be one day be seen at the battle field.

现在这个能够在每次猜拳游戏中都打败我的机器人， 未来可能会有一天出现在战场上。

词汇总结

actuator['æktʃʊeɪtə]

n.激励者;[电脑]执行机构;[电]（电磁铁）螺线管;[机]促动器

The image processor tracks your hand's movement more quickly than the human eye can register.Before you even know that has happened, it sees what sign you have made and sends the winning move to the actuator.

这个图像处理器能跟踪人类手臂的移动，它的识别速度比人眼要快得多。甚至在人类意识到动作发生之前，它就已经能识别出你的动作了，同时向传送装置发送能够取胜的命令。