《時(shí)代》周刊評(píng)出2014年度最佳發(fā)明 （二）

3D打印一切

A machine that can build any object. It sounds like a sci-fi fantasy, but thanks to the rise of 3-D printers—devices that can build objects from digital blueprints, usually by layering plastic or other materials—it is rapidly becoming reality. That’s a boon for consumers and corporations alike. In the past year alone, middle-school students have 3-D-printed stock cars for physics lessons, scientists have 3-D-printed tissues for human organs, and GE has used 3-D printing to improve the efficiency of its jet engines. “This is one of those technologies that literally touches everything we do,” says Avi Reichental, CEO of 3D Systems, whose 3-D printers produce candy (as shown above) and musical instruments, among other objects.

可以造出任何物品的機(jī)器。聽起來像是科學(xué)幻想，但隨著3D打印機(jī)的崛起，這正在迅速成為現(xiàn)實(shí)。能夠通過數(shù)字藍(lán)圖、多層塑料或其他材料制造物體的設(shè)備正快速變成現(xiàn)實(shí)。對(duì)消費(fèi)者和企業(yè)而言，這是個(gè)福音。僅過去一年，中學(xué)生們的物理課上有了3D打印汽車、科學(xué)家用3D打印了人體器官、通用公司(GE)使用3D打印技術(shù)改善噴氣引擎效率等。 3D Systems公司的3D打印機(jī)可以打印糖果、樂器以及其他物品，該公司首席執(zhí)行官艾維•雷切托爾(Avi Reichental)說：“理論上說，這是能讓我們涉及所有領(lǐng)域的技術(shù)。”

6. Watches that Redefine Smart

改寫智能定義的手表

Most smart watches have proved to be anything but: they try to shrink down the experience of using a cell phone, with clunky results. Apple’s Watch, by contrast, wholly reimagines the computer for the wrist, using a novel interface that combines a touchscreen and physical buttons. Besides telling time, the Watch can send messages, give directions, track fitness and make wireless payments.

大多數(shù)智能手表已經(jīng)證明純屬雞肋：它們試圖濃縮手機(jī)的使用體驗(yàn)，結(jié)果卻難以令人滿意。相比之下，蘋果手表體現(xiàn)了全新的手腕電腦理念，利用新穎的接口把觸摸屏與物理按鈕結(jié)合到一起。除了具備鐘表功能外，蘋果手表還可以發(fā)送信息、導(dǎo)航、跟蹤鍛煉情況及進(jìn)行無線支付。

7. The Smartphone that Puts Privacy First

把隱私放在首位的智能手機(jī)

Nearly half of Americans don’t feel safe sharing private information over a cell-phone call, according to Pew. So how can phone owners conceal their data? Enter the Blackphone, a smartphone designed to put privacy above all else. The device, developed by the company of the same name and accelerated after the Snowden leaks, runs a customized Android operating system stripped of features that might make data vulnerable, like calendar sync. It also comes with software that encrypts calls, texts and browsing history at levels far beyond normal smartphones.

皮尤研究中心稱，近一半美國人覺得在手機(jī)上談?wù)搨€(gè)人信息是不安全的。那么手機(jī)的主人怎樣才能藏好自己的信息?Blackphone應(yīng)運(yùn)而生，這是一款把隱私看得高于一切的智能手機(jī)。這款由同名公司研制并在斯諾登泄密事件后加速推出的手機(jī)，采用定制版安卓操作系統(tǒng)，其中剔除了可能造成安全漏洞的功能如日歷同步等。它還帶有以遠(yuǎn)高于普通智能手機(jī)的技術(shù)水平對(duì)通話、信息和瀏覽歷史進(jìn)行加密的軟件。

8. The Cooler that Powers Your Party

讓派對(duì)更加火熱的便攜冰箱

Coolest is the world’s smartest all-purpose party starter. It stores food and drinks, sure. But it also touts a blender, an LED lid light, a USB charger, a Bluetooth speaker and big wheels designed to navigate many terrains (beach, parking lot). Since Grepper’s prototype first appeared on Kickstarter earlier this year, roughly 63,000 backers have contributed $13.3 million to make it a reality. It’s now the most funded creation in the site’s history, besting hits like the Pebble smart watch and Oculus Rift’s virtual-reality glasses.

Coolest便攜冰箱是世界上最出色的多用途派對(duì)用品。當(dāng)然，它可以存放食物和飲料。但它還帶有攪拌器、LED門燈、USB充電器、藍(lán)牙揚(yáng)聲器以及便于在多種地形(包括海灘、停車場等)上搬運(yùn)的大輪子。自從樣機(jī)今年早些時(shí)候首次出現(xiàn)在眾籌網(wǎng)站“啟動(dòng)者”網(wǎng)站上以來，已有約6.3萬網(wǎng)友出資1330萬美元支持使之成為現(xiàn)實(shí)。它目前是該網(wǎng)站有史以來吸引投資最多的發(fā)明，戰(zhàn)勝了像Pebble智能手表和Oculus　Rift虛擬現(xiàn)實(shí)眼鏡等熱門發(fā)明。