《时代》周刊评出2014年度最佳发明 （二）

3D打印一切

A machine that can build any object. It sounds like a sci-fi fantasy, but thanks to the rise of 3-D printers—devices that can build objects from digital blueprints, usually by layering plastic or other materials—it is rapidly becoming reality. That’s a boon for consumers and corporations alike. In the past year alone, middle-school students have 3-D-printed stock cars for physics lessons, scientists have 3-D-printed tissues for human organs, and GE has used 3-D printing to improve the efficiency of its jet engines. “This is one of those technologies that literally touches everything we do,” says Avi Reichental, CEO of 3D Systems, whose 3-D printers produce candy (as shown above) and musical instruments, among other objects.

可以造出任何物品的机器。听起来像是科学幻想，但随着3D打印机的崛起，这正在迅速成为现实。能够通过数字蓝图、多层塑料或其他材料制造物体的设备正快速变成现实。对消费者和企业而言，这是个福音。仅过去一年，中学生们的物理课上有了3D打印汽车、科学家用3D打印了人体器官、通用公司(GE)使用3D打印技术改善喷气引擎效率等。 3D Systems公司的3D打印机可以打印糖果、乐器以及其他物品，该公司首席执行官艾维•雷切托尔(Avi Reichental)说：“理论上说，这是能让我们涉及所有领域的技术。”

6. Watches that Redefine Smart

改写智能定义的手表

Most smart watches have proved to be anything but: they try to shrink down the experience of using a cell phone, with clunky results. Apple’s Watch, by contrast, wholly reimagines the computer for the wrist, using a novel interface that combines a touchscreen and physical buttons. Besides telling time, the Watch can send messages, give directions, track fitness and make wireless payments.

大多数智能手表已经证明纯属鸡肋：它们试图浓缩手机的使用体验，结果却难以令人满意。相比之下，苹果手表体现了全新的手腕电脑理念，利用新颖的接口把触摸屏与物理按钮结合到一起。除了具备钟表功能外，苹果手表还可以发送信息、导航、跟踪锻炼情况及进行无线支付。

7. The Smartphone that Puts Privacy First

把隐私放在首位的智能手机

Nearly half of Americans don’t feel safe sharing private information over a cell-phone call, according to Pew. So how can phone owners conceal their data? Enter the Blackphone, a smartphone designed to put privacy above all else. The device, developed by the company of the same name and accelerated after the Snowden leaks, runs a customized Android operating system stripped of features that might make data vulnerable, like calendar sync. It also comes with software that encrypts calls, texts and browsing history at levels far beyond normal smartphones.

皮尤研究中心称，近一半美国人觉得在手机上谈论个人信息是不安全的。那么手机的主人怎样才能藏好自己的信息?Blackphone应运而生，这是一款把隐私看得高于一切的智能手机。这款由同名公司研制并在斯诺登泄密事件后加速推出的手机，采用定制版安卓操作系统，其中剔除了可能造成安全漏洞的功能如日历同步等。它还带有以远高于普通智能手机的技术水平对通话、信息和浏览历史进行加密的软件。

8. The Cooler that Powers Your Party

让派对更加火热的便携冰箱

Coolest is the world’s smartest all-purpose party starter. It stores food and drinks, sure. But it also touts a blender, an LED lid light, a USB charger, a Bluetooth speaker and big wheels designed to navigate many terrains (beach, parking lot). Since Grepper’s prototype first appeared on Kickstarter earlier this year, roughly 63,000 backers have contributed $13.3 million to make it a reality. It’s now the most funded creation in the site’s history, besting hits like the Pebble smart watch and Oculus Rift’s virtual-reality glasses.

Coolest便携冰箱是世界上最出色的多用途派对用品。当然，它可以存放食物和饮料。但它还带有搅拌器、LED门灯、USB充电器、蓝牙扬声器以及便于在多种地形(包括海滩、停车场等)上搬运的大轮子。自从样机今年早些时候首次出现在众筹网站“启动者”网站上以来，已有约6.3万网友出资1330万美元支持使之成为现实。它目前是该网站有史以来吸引投资最多的发明，战胜了像Pebble智能手表和Oculus　Rift虚拟现实眼镜等热门发明。