By VOA
17 November, 2013
From VOA Learning English, this is the Technology Report.
When a building collapses, every minute is important for victims buried under the wreckage, that is why two American government agencies teamed up to develop a high-tech tool to find those who are trapped.
The Department of Homeland Security and NASA, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration took part in the project. Rescue crews have been testing the state-of-the-art radar tool called FINDER. The name may short for Finding individuals for Disaster and Emergency Response. This radar device can recognize a person's smallest movements or even a heart beat, even when the individual is unable to communicate.
Earlier this year, Homeland Security and rescuers used FINDER to carry out more than 65 test searches in the American state of Virginia. They say, the tests prove successful in recognizing a human heart beat under 9 metres of mixed concrete and other material. The device was also able to identify a heart beat hidden behind 6 metres of solid concrete, and from a distance of up to 30 metres in open spaces.
It is an example of how space agency creations are helping people here on earth. FINDER's technology is based on the tracking technology that NASA uses for its spacecraft. Jim Lux is with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California.
"FINDER works by sending a low-power microwave signal, and it illuminates the rubble pile, and some of the microwaves go in and reflect off the victim inside and come back out. So FINDER sees both the reflection from the rubble, which does not move, and a very tiny reflection from the victim, which does move, because when you breathe and when your heart beats, your skin moves a little bit and we can see that," Lux said.
Jim Lux says the device is small, easy to carry and easy to use.
"It goes out and collects 30-seconds' worth of data, because that is how long you need to get the heartbeat and the breathing, and then it analyzes it and displays it for the user," Lux said.
FINDER could be used with other tools rescuers use, such as listening devices or search dogs. Matthew Tamillow works with Virginia Task Force 1. He says the new technology could help rescuers in deciding which buildings to search.
"This type of technology, including FINDER, could aid in the assistance of triaging a building to say, 'Okay, there is a strong probability that a live victim could be in here, and we need to devote our valuable human resources into searching it,'" said Tamillow.
FINDER is still being developed and tested. NASA says it could start being used in searching rescue operation as early as next year.
And that is the Technology Report from VOA Special English. For more about our reports, visit our website at chinavoa.com. We are also on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter at VOA Learning English. I'm June Simms.
From VOA Learning English, this is the Technology Report.
這里是美國之音慢速英語科技報道。
When a building collapses, every minute is important for victims buried under the wreckage, that is why two American government agencies teamed up to develop a high-tech tool to find those who are trapped.
當一棟建筑物倒塌時,每一分鐘對被埋在廢墟下的受害者來說都很重要。這就是兩家美國政府機構(gòu)聯(lián)手開發(fā)一種搜尋被困者的高科技工具的原因。
The Department of Homeland Security and NASA, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration took part in the project. Rescue crews have been testing the state-of-the-art radar tool called FINDER. The name may short for Finding individuals for Disaster and Emergency Response. This radar device can recognize a person's smallest movements or even a heart beat, even when the individual is unable to communicate.
美國國土安全部和美國宇航局參與了該項目。救援人員一直在測試美國最先進的雷達工具,它被稱為FINDER,即Finding individuals for Disaster and Emergency Response的縮寫。該雷達裝置可以識別出一個人的細微動作甚至心跳,即使當時無法與這個人交流。
Earlier this year, Homeland Security and rescuers used FINDER to carry out more than 65 test searches in the American state of Virginia. They say, the tests prove successful in recognizing a human heart beat under 9 metres of mixed concrete and other material. The device was also able to identify a heart beat hidden behind 6 metres of solid concrete, and from a distance of up to 30 metres in open spaces.
今年早些時候,國土安全部和救援人員使用FINDER在弗吉尼亞州進行了65次以上的搜尋測試。他們說,這些測試在識別位于9米厚度混凝土和其它材料混合物下人類心跳上取得了成功。該裝置還能識別出6米厚度實體混凝土背后以及30米以外開闊空間的的心跳。
It is an example of how space agency creations are helping people here on earth. FINDER's technology is based on the tracking technology that NASA uses for its spacecraft. Jim Lux is with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California.
這是宇航局發(fā)明幫助人類的一個實例。FINDER的技術(shù)是基于美國宇航局用于太空飛船的追蹤技術(shù)。吉姆·勒克斯(Jim Lux)就職于加利福尼亞州的噴氣推進實驗室。
"FINDER works by sending a low-power microwave signal, and it illuminates the rubble pile, and some of the microwaves go in and reflect off the victim inside and come back out. So FINDER sees both the reflection from the rubble, which does not move, and a very tiny reflection from the victim, which does move, because when you breathe and when your heart beats, your skin moves a little bit and we can see that," Lux said.
勒克斯表示,“FINDER的工作原理是發(fā)送低功率微波信號掃描廢墟堆,部分微波穿透廢墟,并被廢墟中的受害者反射回來。FINDER看到來自廢墟的反射不會移動,而來自受害者的微小反射會移動。因為當你呼吸和心跳時,身體表面會細微移動,我們就能看到。”
Jim Lux says the device is small, easy to carry and easy to use.
勒克斯說該裝置很小,便于攜帶,使用簡單。
"It goes out and collects 30-seconds' worth of data, because that is how long you need to get the heartbeat and the breathing, and then it analyzes it and displays it for the user," Lux said.
“它發(fā)射出去收集30秒的有用數(shù)據(jù),因為這個時間長度內(nèi)你必須心跳和呼吸。隨后它對數(shù)據(jù)進行分析,并顯示給用戶。”
FINDER could be used with other tools rescuers use, such as listening devices or search dogs. Matthew Tamillow works with Virginia Task Force 1. He says the new technology could help rescuers in deciding which buildings to search.
FINDER能和其它救援人員用的工具一起使用,像監(jiān)聽設(shè)備或救援犬。Matthew Tamillow就職于弗吉尼亞州第一特遣隊。他說,這項新技術(shù)能夠幫助救援人員決定先搜索哪些建筑物。
"This type of technology, including FINDER, could aid in the assistance of triaging a building to say, 'Okay, there is a strong probability that a live victim could be in here, and we need to devote our valuable human resources into searching it,'" said Tamillow.
他說,“包括FINDER在內(nèi)的這類技術(shù)可以在救援決策上幫助人們,‘這里很有可能有一位幸存者,我必須把我們最寶貴的人力資源投入進來搜救他。’”
FINDER is still being developed and tested. NASA says it could start being used in searching rescue operation as early as next year.
FINDER仍在開發(fā)和測試。美國宇航局表示,最早明年它就可以開始用于搜救行動。