A Japanese robotics startup has invented a smart maskthat translates into eight languages When the Covid-19 pandemic made face masks an everyday essential, Japanese startup Donut Robotics spotted an opportunity. They created a smart mask — a high-tech upgrade to standard face coverings, designed to make communication and social distancing easier. 当Covid-19流感大流行使口罩成为日常必需品时，日本初创企业甜甜圈机器人公司（donutrobotics）发现了一个绝无仅有的好机会。他们发明了一种智能面具，这是对标准面部覆盖物（也就是口罩）的高科技升级，旨在使交流和保持社交距离变得更简单。 In conjunction with an app, the C-Face Smart mask can transcribe dictation, amplify the wearer's voice, and translate speech into eight different languages. C-Face智能口罩与应用程序结合，可以转录听写，放大佩戴者的声音，并将语音翻译成八种不同的语言。 The cutouts on the front are vital for breathability, so the smart mask doesn't offer protection against the coronavirus. Instead, it is designed to be worn over a standard face mask, explains Donut Robotics CEO Taisuke Ono. Made of white plastic and silicone, it has an embedded microphone that connects to the wearer's smartphone via Bluetooth. The system can translate between Japanese and Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Indonesian, English, Spanish and French. 前面的切口对透气性至关重要，因此智能口罩无法抵御冠状病毒。甜甜圈机器人公司的首席执行官大野泰介解释说，它的设计目的是在一个标准的面罩上佩戴。它由白色塑料和硅胶制成，内置麦克风通过蓝牙与佩戴者的智能手机相连。该系统可以在日语和汉语、韩语、越南语、印度尼西亚语、英语、西班牙语和法语之间进行翻译。  Donut Robotics first developed the translation software for a robot called Cinnamon — but when the pandemic hit, the robot project was put on hold. That's when the team's engineers came up with the idea to use their software in a face mask. 甜甜圈机器人公司首先为一个叫做肉桂的机器人开发了翻译软件，但当大流行来袭时，机器人项目被搁置。就在那时，团队的工程师们想出了一个主意，把他们的软件用在面罩上。 The coronavirus pandemic has led to a boom in face mask sales, with mask-wearing in public now mandated in many countries around the world. 冠状病毒的流行导致了口罩销售的激增，现在世界上许多国家都规定在公共场合戴口罩。 mandate：强制执行 Seeing an opportunity to monetize their translation technology, Donut Robotics launched a fundraiser on Japanese crowdfunding platform Fundinno in June. They raised 28 million yen ($265,000) in 37 minutes, says Ono. "It was very surprising," he says, "because it would usually take three or four months to get that kind of money." 看到了将翻译技术货币化的机会，甜甜圈机器人公司于6月在日本众筹平台Fundinno上发起了一场众筹活动。他们在37分钟内筹集了2800万日元（26.5万美元），小野说他说：“这非常令人惊讶，因为通常需要三四个月才能拿到这样数量的钱。” A second round of crowdfunding on Fundinno in July raised a further 56.6 million yen ($539,000), which Ono plans to use to develop translation software for the international market. To scale up production, Donut Robotics have partnered with a company in Tokyo, which they declined to name. 今年7月，Fundinno的第二轮众筹融资又筹集了5660万日元（53.9万美元），大野计划将这笔资金用于开发面向国际市场的翻译软件。为了扩大生产规模，甜甜圈机器人公司与东京的一家公司合作，但他们拒绝透露具体名称。 Ono says the first wave of distribution is expected to take place in Japan, with 5,000 to 10,000 masks available by December. They will be priced at $40 to $50, he says, with an extra subscription for the app. Donut Robotics will not expand overseas until April 2021 at the earliest, but there has been interest in the UK and US, where they plan to crowdfund on Kickstarter, says Ono. 大野说，第一波销售预计将在日本进行，到12月将有5000到10000个口罩。他说，他们的价格将在40至50美元之间，该应用程序需要另外收费。小野说，甜甜圈机器人公司最早要到2021年4月才会向海外拓展，但英国和美国已经表示出感兴趣，他们计划在Kickstarter上面做众筹。 The mask's Bluetooth chip can connect to smartphones up to 32 feet (10 meters) away, says Ono. He hopes the mask will make new social distancing norms in locations including hospitals and offices easier, by enabling good communication. "We still have many situations where we have to meet in person," he says. "In this new normal ... the mask and the app are very helpful." 小野说，面具的蓝牙芯片可以连接到32英尺（10米）外的智能手机。他希望这个面具能够帮助大家更好的交流，使医院和办公室等场所的新的社交距离规范变得更加容易。”“仍然有很多情况下，我们必须亲自见面，”他说在这个新常态下。。。面具和应用程序非常有用。”  👇 |
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