托福阅读素材：“可触“虚拟物将诞生(自然科学篇)

　　托福阅读素材自然科学篇：科学家正在开启另一种传奇—触觉虚拟技术。新东方在线托福网为大家带来托福阅读素材：“可触“虚拟物将诞生(自然科学篇)，希望对大家托福备考有所帮助，更多精彩尽请关注新东方在线托福网!

　　现代科技可以混淆我们的视听，像是激光全息摄影技术可以产生实际并不存在的三维影像，立体声感觉上就像是围绕着我们，现在，科学家正在开启另一种传奇—触觉虚拟技术。是不是觉得很神奇呢?快和托福小编一起来看今天的托福阅读材料吧!

　　Virtual adj. [计] 虚拟的;有效的

　　Laser n. 激光

　　Holography n. 全息术;全息摄影

　　Stereo n. 立体声;立体声系统

　　tactile adj. 触觉的，有触觉的

　　Emit vt. 发出，放射

　　diameter n. 直径

　　focal point 焦点

　　home appliance 家电用品

　　Scientists Create 'Touchable' Virtual Objects

　　科学家创造“可触“虚拟物

　　Technology is already capable of tricking most of our senses ... laser holography can create three-dimensional images where nothing exists, stereo sound can surround us, and smells can be infused into the air. Now, scientists are starting to break the next barrier - the sense of touch.

　　Scientists at a British university have developed a device that makes our hands feel objects that are not there.

　　Motion recognition technology already allows users to command computer-controlled devices by waving a hand above a sensitive surface. But feeling the actual object, such as the car radio’s tuning button, would give us more feedback, making the motion more precise.

　　Researchers at the University of Bristol’s Computer Science Department have developed a device that adds tactile sensation to a holographic image.

　　Co-developer of the technology, Sriram Subramanian, said it works on the same principle as the pressure of soundwaves you feel in your chest at a rock concert.

　　“Instead of using the bass sounds, what we use is low-frequency ultrasound - about 40 kHz - and that way we can target it at a precise point on your fingertip or on your palm, and then you feel the palm vibrate and it feels precise as well,” said Subramanian.

　　The soundwaves are emitted by an array of 64 small ultrasonic speakers, whose vibrations can be adjusted to create sensation of various shapes, and even their virtual movement.

　　Subramanian said the speakers can create hundreds of ultrasound focal points.

　　“And when I do hundreds at a time and put a hundred focal points around your fingertip or around your palm, those hundred feel like a circle," he said. "And if I track your palm and move them up and down, and if I change the diameter of these focal points, you start feeling like you are going through a sphere. And this is how we generate shapes.”

　　Subramanian said when it is fully developed, the so-called haptic technology may find application in various fields, from consumer electronics and home appliances to hospital operating rooms.

　　长难句：

　　1.Scientists at a British university have developed a device that makes our hands feel objects that are not there.

　　句子类型：定语从句

　　句子拆分：

　　主干;Scientists at a British university have developed a device.

　　定语从句: that makes our hands feel objects( that are not there).嵌套另一个定语从句。

　　翻译：布里斯托尔大学计算机科学系的研究人员已经研发出一种将触感增加到全息图像上的设备。

　　2.But feeling the actual object, such as the car radio’s tuning button, would give us more feedback, making the motion more precise.

　　句子类型：插入语+动名词伴随状语

　　句子拆分：

　　主干;But feeling the actual object would give us more feedback.

　　插入语: such as the car radio’s tuning button

　　动名词伴随状语: making the motion more precise

　　翻译：但感觉如汽车收音机调谐钮等的实际物体将会给我们更多反馈,使得动作更加精确。

　　3.Instead of using the bass sounds, what we use is low-frequency ultrasound - about 40 kHz - and that way we can target it at a precise point on your fingertip or on your palm, and then you feel the palm vibrate and it feels precise as well

　　句子类型：主语从句

　　句子拆分：

　　主干;what we use is low-frequency ultrasound - about 40 kHz.

　　主语从句: what we use

　　翻译：我们没有使用低音,而是使用40千赫的低频超声波，这样我们可以将它在你的指尖或手掌上定位到一个精确的点,而后你会感到手掌振动而且感觉同样精确。