《路透社》
为应对疫情，日本初创企业Donut Robotics开发联网智能口罩
新冠疫情期间，戴口罩日渐常态化。日本初创企业实现技术突破，制造智能联网口罩，该口罩具备何种用途？《路透社》资讯带你一探究竟。
As face coverings become the norm amid the coronavirus pandemic, Japanese startup Donut Robotics has developed an internet-connected "smart mask" that can transmit messages and translate from Japanese into eight other languages.
新冠疫情期间，戴口罩成为新常态。日本初创企业Donut Robotics 开发出联网“智能口罩”，能够传输信息并将日语翻译为其他八种语言。
The white plastic "c-mask" fits over standard face masks and connects via Bluetooth to a smartphone and tablet application that can transcribe speech into text messages, make calls, or amplify the mask wearer's voice.
这款白色塑料材质的C型口罩可以附着在标准口罩上，通过蓝牙与智能手机和平板应用程序连接，从而实现语音转文字、打电话或放大戴口罩人的声音。
"We worked hard for years to develop a robot and we have used that technology to create a product that responds to how the coronavirus has reshaped society," said Taisuke Ono, the chief executive of Donut Robotics.
Donut Robotics总裁小野大辅（Taisuke Ono）表示，“多年来，我们一直致力于开发出一款机器人。现在，我们又利用这项技术开发出一种产品，以应对被新冠病毒重塑的社会生活。”
Donut Robotics' engineers came up with the idea for the mask as they searched for a product to help the company survive the pandemic. When the coronavirus struck, it had just secured a contract to supply robot guides and translators to Tokyo's Haneda Airport, a product that faces an uncertain future after the collapse of air travel.
Donut Robotics的工程师想要寻找一款能帮助公司渡过新冠疫情的产品，正是在此过程中，他们萌生了制作这种口罩的想法。新冠疫情爆发时，该公司刚刚获得了东京羽田机场（Tokyo's Haneda Airport）的合同，为对方供应机器人指南和翻译。然而，新冠疫情导致航空业濒临崩溃，该产品也变得前途未卜。
Donut Robotics' first 5,000 c-masks will be shipped to buyers in Japan starting in September, with Ono looking to sell in China, the United States and Europe too. There has been strong interest, he said.
Donut Robotics'首批生产的5,000个C型口罩将于九月送达日本买家手中，总裁Ono还希望能向中国、美国和欧州销售该产品。他表示，人们对此很感兴趣。
At about 40 U.S. dollars per mask, Donut Robotics is aiming at a mass market that did not exist until a few months ago. One aim, he said, is to generate revenue from subscriber services offered via an app that users will download.
这款C型口罩售价约为40美元，Donut Robotics的目标是将产品投向几个月前才出现的大众市场。他表示，其中一个目标是通过用户下载应用程序并订阅服务获取收益。
Donut Robotics built a prototype connected mask within a month by adapting translation software developed for its robot and a mask design that one of the company's engineers, Shunsuke Fujibayashi, created four years ago for a student project to interpret speech by mapping face muscles.
一个月之内，Donut Robotics改编了为机器人研发的翻译软件，调整了口罩设计，建立了联网口罩的模型。这款口罩是由该公司工程师Shunsuke Fujibayashi四年前为一个学生项目所设计的，其用途是通过绘制脸部肌肉进行口译。
Ono raised 28 million yen (260,000 U.S. dollars) for development by selling Donut Robotics shares through the Japanese crowdfunding site Fundinno.
Donut Robotics通过日本众筹网站Fundinno发售股票，募集了2,800万日元（折合26万美元）用于该产品研发。
"We raised our initial target of seven million yen within three minutes and stopped after 37 minutes when we had reached 28 million yen," he said.
“仅仅三分钟内，我们就筹集到了700万日元，达成初始目标。37分钟后，筹集资金达2,800万日元，股票发售就此结束，”他表示。
Source(s):Reuters
translator: Catherine
