Honda's new ASIMO robot more human-like than ever
NEW YORK (AFP) — It walks and runs, even up and down stairs. It can open a bottle and serve a drink, and politely tries to shake hands with a stranger. Meet the latest ASIMO, Honda’s humanoid robot.
“Hello New York! Thank you for coming today!” the little guy chirped in English, the recorded voice of a teenaged boy, at his U.S. debut Wednesday in a Manhattan hotel. Resembling a tiny astronaut, ASIMO — decked out in a white suit and helmet — stands 4 feet three inches (1.3 meters) tall and weighs in at 110 lbs (50 kg).
ASIMO — short for Advanced Step in Innovative Mobility — was designed to help people, potentially in cases of reduced mobility. The first model was unveiled in 2000 after 14 years of research during which scientists studied human movements in an effort to replicate them.
The latest demonstration highlighted the robot’s increased flexibility and balance — ASIMO can now jump — as well as sign language abilities. It can now also run at a speed of 5.6 miles per hour (9 km/h). Researchers think that one day it could help the elderly — say by getting a snack or turning the lights off -- when their ability to get around is reduced.
“ASIMO was designed to help those in society who need assistance, and Honda believes that these improvements in ASIMO bring us another step closer to our ultimate goal of being able to help all kinds of people in need,” said Satoshi Shigemi, senior chief engineer at Honda R&D Japan responsible for humanoid robotics.
※ 다음에 나오는 문제들은 본 기사에 나오는 중요한 어휘들로 구성된 토익, 토플, 텝스 기출 및 예상 문제입니다.
※ Choose the one word or phrase that best keeps the meaning of the highlighted part or fill in the blank with a suitable one.
1. Their
ultimate
objective is the removal of all nuclear weapons.
① final ② indefensible ③ unforgivable ④ serious
2. The survey
highlighted
the urgent need for checking the high rate of inflation.
① accentuated ② imitated ③ overlooked ④ restored
3. Hummingbirds are
tiny
creatures.
① light ② lively ③ lovely ④ little
4. The prolific novelist is noted for his stylistically
innovative
works.
① deliberate ② informative ③ disciplined ④ inventive
5. Throughout the storm, the safety of the passengers was the captain's
paramount
concern.
① equal ② chief ③ well-known ④ ready
[번역 및 정답]
1. [번역] 그들의
궁극적인
목적은 모든 핵무기들을 제거하는 것이다.
[정답] ①
2. [번역] 그 조사는 고율의 인플레이션을 억제하는 절박한 필요성을
강조한
것이었다
.
3. [번역] 벌새는
아주
작은
새이다.
4. [번역] 그 다작의 소설가는 그의 문체상
혁신적인
작품으로 유명하다.
[정답] ④
5. [번역] 폭풍우가 몰아치는 동안 내내, 승객들의 안전이 그 선장의
주된
관심사(염려거리)였다.
[정답] ②