鼠标——跟着鼻子走

文章作者 100test 发表时间 2008:03:31 12:33:10
来源 100Test.Com百考试题网

　　原文：

　　Mouse Follows Nose

　　The computer mouse is no longer so mighty. A Canadian engineer has invented a system that enables a computer user to push a cursor1 across a screen simply by moving his or her nose. He calls his nose-driven mouse a nouse.

　　The inventor， Dmity Gorodnichy， came up with the idea for the nouse while building computer software that would help astronauts operate the Canadarm — a long robotic2 arm on the U.S. space shuttle3. His system employs a Webcam4 that identifies a computer users nose from 25 pixels5， or points of light. Dmity chose the nose because its position remains relatively constant no matter which way the head is tilted6. The system keeps track of the pixels， and the user matches the movements of his or her nose with the progress of the cursor across the monitor.

　　The nouse keeps track of the eyes too. Two blinks are a “double click，” which turns the nouse on or off.

　　The nouse has received mixed reviews from critics. One called it “a singularly7 pointless8 waste of technology” destined9 for “techno-oblivion10.” Another predicted that the device will fail to catch on11 because it makes users “look silly.”

　　Unfazed12 by the thumbs-down13 notices， Dmity has already adapted the nouse for NousePong， a video game， and NousePaint， a drawing program.

　　He also predicts that the nouse will appeal to14 people who have carpal tunnel syndrome15 - pain， numbness16， or tingling17 in the hand caused by the excessive repetition of specific motions of the wrist and fingers， such as typing at a computer keyboard. His next plan is to adapt the nouse for use by paralyzed18 patients in hospitals. With two blinks of the eyes， patients could double-click for help.

　　译文：

　　电脑鼠标不再那么威力无比了。一位加拿大工程师发明了一套系统，可以使电脑用户只需移动鼻子即可让光标在屏幕上任意游走。他把这种用鼻子驱动的鼠标称作“鼻标”。

　　发明者德米蒂。高罗德尼奇关于“鼻标”的创意来自于一次电脑软件的开发，此软件用于协助宇航员操控加拿大机械臂（美国航天飞机上的机器臂）。他的系统借助了一部网络摄像机，可以用25个像素或亮点定位电脑用户的鼻子。德米蒂之所以选择鼻子定位，是因为不论头部如何扭动，鼻子的位置相对保持不变。系统追踪像素移动痕迹，用户挪动鼻子让光标在显示屏上做出相应的操作。

　　眼睛也能定位鼻标。眨两下眼相当于“双击”，可以打开或者关闭鼻标。

　　评论家对鼻标的评价褒贬不一。有人称它是“不折不扣的、毫无意义的技术浪费”、注定要被“技术遗忘”。还有人则预言它不会受欢迎，因为它令用户显得傻里傻气。

　　德米蒂对这些贬损的说法不以为忤，他已经在电视游戏NousePong和绘图软件NousePaint中使用鼻标。

　　他还预言鼻标会受到腕管综合症患者（由于手腕和手指过度重复特定动作导致手部疼痛、麻木和刺痛，比如敲击电脑键盘）的欢迎。他的下一个计划是将鼻标应用于医院里瘫痪的患者。病人眨两下眼睛，就可“双击”求助。