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我希望你們現在想像一下,一種可以穿戴的機器人,它可以給你超人的能力,或是另一種可以讓輪椅使用者重新站立並行走的機器。在Berkeley仿生科技公司,我們稱呼這種機器人為外骨骼系統。當你在早上將它穿上後,沒什麼比得上它所能夠給你的額外力量。它會增加你的速度,它會幫助你,例如,保持平衡,它真正能達到人機合為一體。但不只是這樣,它會替你整合,並連結到周遭環境及其它外部裝置。
這並不是什麼不切實際的幻想,為了向各位展示我們目前正進行的工作,我們來談談平均背負重量高達一百磅的美國士兵,他們被要求在背上背負許多裝備,很明顯地,這會造成一些嚴重的併發症,背部傷害。30%的士兵有慢性背部傷害,所以我們認為應正視這個挑戰,並創造出外骨骼系統,以協助解決這個問題。讓我向大家介紹HULC,全名為人類多用途負載支架。
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以下為系統擷取之英文原文
I want you now to imagine a wearable robot that gives you superhuman abilities, or another one that takes wheelchair users up standing and walking again. We at Berkeley Bionics call these robots exoskeletons. These are nothing else than something that you put on in the morning, and it will give you extra strength, and it will further enhance your speed, and it will help you, for instance, to manage your balance. It is actually the true integration of the man and the machine. But not only that -- it will integrate and network you to the universe and other devices out there.
This is just not some blue sky thinking. To show you now what we are working on by starting out talking about the American soldier, that on average does carry about 100 lbs. on their backs, and they are being asked to carry more equipment. Obviously, this is resulting in some major complications -- back injuries, 30 percent of them -- chronic back injuries. So we thought we would look at this challenge and create an exoskeleton that would help deal with this issue. So let me now introduce to you HULC -- or the Human Universal Load Carrier.
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士兵:藉由HULC外骨骼系統,我可以在各種地形下,背負兩百磅重量,長達幾小時。它靈活的設計可讓人進行深蹲、匍匐前進和高靈活性運動,它可以感應我想做什麼,我想去哪裡,並增強我的力量及耐力。
Eythor Bender:我們和產業夥伴在今年已經準備好要引入這個設備,這個新型的外骨骼系統,所以這是真實的。現在我們來看看輪椅使用者,這是我特別熱衷的部份。全世界目前大約有六千八百萬輪椅使用者,幾乎是總人口的百分之一,而這只是相當保守的估計。我們常常會談論到,許多年輕人脊椎受了傷,在他們人生的黃金時期-20、30、40歲碰了壁,而輪椅就成了唯一選擇。另外,老年人的數量正逐漸增加,當發生中風或其它併發症時,此時唯一的選擇也只有輪椅。在過去五百年來確實是如此,我必須承認,因為輪椅是如此成功地被採用。所以,我想我們應該為移動能力寫下新的一頁。現在讓我來介紹eLEGS,Amanda Boxtel正穿著它,她在十九年前脊椎受了傷,結果,從那之後的十九年都無法走路。
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Soldier: With the HULC exoskeleton, I can carry 200 lbs. over varied terrain for many hours. Its flexible design allows for deep squats, crawls and high-agility movements. It senses what I want to do, where I want to go, and then augments my strength and endurance.
Eythor Bender: We are ready with our industry partner to introduce this device, this new exoskeleton this year. So this is for real. Now let's turn our heads towards the wheelchair users, something that I'm particularly passionate about. There are 68 million people estimated to be in wheelchairs worldwide. This is about one percent of the total population. And that's actually a conservative estimate. We are talking here about, oftentimes, very young individuals with spinal cord injuries, that in the prime of their life -- 20s, 30s, 40s -- hit a wall and the wheelchair's the only option. But it is also the aging population that is multiplying in numbers. And the only option, pretty much -- when it's stroke or other complications -- is the wheelchair. And that is actually for the last 500 years, since its very successful introduction, I must say. So we thought we would start writing a brand new chapter of mobility. Let me now introduce you to eLEGS that is worn by Amanda Boxtel that 19 years ago was spinal cord injured, and as a result of that she has not been able to walk for 19 years until now.
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Amanda Boxtel:謝謝大家
EB:如我所說,Amanda正穿著我們生產的eLEGS,它裝有感應器,在拐杖裡裝置著完全非侵入式的感應器,它可以將訊號傳到背在她背後的電腦中,這裡也有電池組,可以提供在她臀部的發動機能量,同時也提供她膝蓋處的發動機能量,這可以讓她用一種平緩又自然的步伐前進。
AB:在我二十四歲,我所專精的運動正值頂峰時,在進行下坡滑雪時,我摔了一跤,這讓我癱瘓了。就在那瞬間,我骨盆以下失去了知覺和移動能力。不久之後,某個醫生走進了我的病房,他告訴我,「Amanda,你永遠都沒辦法再走路了。」那是十九年前的事。他剝奪了我人生中的每一絲希望。助殘技術已經可以讓我學會如何再次進行下坡滑雪、如何攀岩,甚至是手搖式自行車,但是沒有任何發明能夠讓我走路,直到現在。
謝謝大家
EB:如各位所見,我們有這項技術,我們有可以和大家坐下來討論的平台,它就在我們的手中。我們現在擁有潛力去改變我們後代的生活,不只是為了士兵們,或只是為了Amanda以及所有輪椅使用者,而是為了每一個人。
AB:謝謝大家
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Amanda Boxtel: Thank you.
EB: Amanda is wearing our eLEGS set. It has sensors. It's completely non-invasive, sensors in the crutches that send signals back to our onboard computer that is sitting here at her back. There are battery packs here as well that power motors that are sitting at her hips, as well as her knee joints, that move her forward in this kind of smooth and very natural gait.
AB: I was 24 years old and at the top of my game when a freak summersault while downhill skiing paralyzed me. In a split second, I lost all sensation and movement below my pelvis. Not long afterwards, a doctor strode into my hospital room, and he said, "Amanda, you'll never walk again." And that was 19 yeas ago. He robbed every ounce of hope from my being. Adaptive technology has since enabled me to learn how to downhill ski again, to rock climb and even handcycle. But nothing has been invented that enables me to walk, until now.
Thank you.
EB: As you can see, we have the technology, we have the platforms to sit down and have discussions with you. It's in our hands, and we have all the potential here to change the lives of future generations -- not only for the soldiers, or for Amanda here and all the wheelchair users, but for everyone.
AB: Thanks.