VOA慢速英語：未來購物新情況：3D打印與AR現(xiàn)實技術(shù)
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These days, shopping often involves an Internet connection and a laptop or smartphone. However, businesses are now trying to use new technology, such as 3D printing and augmented reality, to bring customers back into stores.
At the recent National Retail Federation show in New York City, many companies demonstrated these new technologies. One, the computer company Intel, is experimenting with 3D printing. It is using the Mach 2XS commercial printer.
Instead of printing words on paper, the Mach 2XS prints clothes. For example, it uses thread to print out a sweater. It prints the sweater out row by row, until it is fully formed.
Ryan Parker is the general manager of Responsive Retail at Intel. He says the 3D printers print out clothing, made just for the individual in size and style, in about 45 minutes.
Bringing consumers back to stores
More and more consumers shop online. But young people still seem to like going to physical stores. A recent study shows that 67 percent of people between ages 13 to 21 shop in physical stores most of the time. The IBM Institute for Business Value and the National Retail Federation did the study.
A London-based company, Ads Reality, is trying to use augmented-reality, or AR technology in stores. Augmented reality is a technology that creates computer-generated images and projects them in a way that they look real.
“When it’s used in the right way, it’s a very powerful tool to drive mobile engagement and store traffic,” said Richard Corps, managing director.
The company’s latest product is an “AR Window.” It superimposes life-sized augmented-reality characters on big screens in store windows.
“It looks like those characters are actually inside the store ... it stops people outside the store because they’re amazed to see these characters ... and then it drives them inside the store because they want to have their photograph taken with these characters,” Corps said.
Customer service robots
Customer service robots might also become a common store experience. The New York company Autonomous is experimenting with customer service robots. These wheeled devices include a Wi-Fi connection to a real person who can be seen on the robot’s screen.
Robots in a hardware store, for example, could be operated from anywhere by experts in different fields, like plumbing or electrical wiring.
Autonomous chief Duy Huynh says the robots can make the shopping experience personal.
“With our technology, when you walk into a store one of our robots will approach you and behind the robot, [it’s] going to bring someone who knows your shopping habits, who has been helping you for the past six months, who knows what you need, to talk to you. So to us that’s really, really important and that’s the very first time you can actually do personalization offline.”
I’m Phil Dierking.
This story was originally written for VOAnews.com by. Phil Dierking adapted this story for Learning English using other media. Caty Weaver was the editor.
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Words in This Story
amaze – v. to fill someone with wonder.
augmented reality – n. a technology that superimposes a computer-generated image on a user's view of the real world.
3D printing – n. the process of making a physical object from a three-dimensional digital model.
character – n. a person who appears in a story, book, play, movie, or television show.
consumer – n. a person who buys goods and services.
customer – n. someone who buys goods or services from a business.
product – n. something that is made or grown to be sold or used.
robot – n. a real or imaginary machine that is controlled by a computer and is often made to look like a human or animal.
thread – n. a long, thin piece of cotton, silk, etc., used for sewing.
superimpose – v. to place or lay something over something else.
sweater – n. a warm usually knitted piece of clothing for the upper part of your body.
These days, shopping often involves an Internet connection and a laptop or smartphone. However, businesses are now trying to use new technology, such as 3D printing and augmented reality, to bring customers back into stores.
最近，購物通常和網(wǎng)購、筆記本電腦或者智能手機聯(lián)系在一起。但是，商業(yè)圈目前試圖打造一項新科技，比如利用3D技術(shù)和增擴現(xiàn)實使消費者重新到實體店購物。
At the recent National Retail Federation show in New York City, many companies demonstrated these new technologies. One, the computer company Intel, is experimenting with 3D printing. It is using the Mach 2XS commercial printer.
最近在紐約市舉行的國家零售聯(lián)合展出中，許多公司都展示了這項新科技。其中因特爾公司目前正在試驗這項3D新技術(shù)。該公司利用Mach 2XS 打印機。
Instead of printing words on paper, the Mach 2XS prints clothes. For example, it uses thread to print out a sweater. It prints the sweater out row by row, until it is fully formed.
Mach 2XS 打印機不是將字打印到紙上，而是打印到衣服上。例如，它可以用毛線織出一件毛衣。打印機一縷一縷地織出毛衣，直至完工。
Ryan Parker is the general manager of Responsive Retail at Intel. He says the 3D printers print out clothing, made just for the individual in size and style, in about 45 minutes.
李安·帕克是因特爾公司零售反饋的總經(jīng)理。他說，3D打印機可以在45分鐘內(nèi)做出符合個人大小和風格的衣服。
Bringing consumers back to stores
引領(lǐng)消費者實體店購物
More and more consumers shop online. But young people still seem to like going to physical stores. A recent study shows that 67 percent of people between ages 13 to 21 shop in physical stores most of the time. The IBM Institute for Business Value and the National Retail Federation did the study.
越來越多的消費者選擇網(wǎng)購。但是年輕消費群體還是青睞實體店購物。最近一項由IBM商業(yè)評估機構(gòu)和國家零售聯(lián)盟聯(lián)合做出的調(diào)查顯示，年齡在13-21歲中67%的消費者大部分會選擇實體店購物。
A London-based company, Ads Reality, is trying to use augmented-reality, or AR technology in stores. Augmented reality is a technology that creates computer-generated images and projects them in a way that they look real.
總部位于倫敦的Ads Reality公司嘗試在實體店使用模擬現(xiàn)實技術(shù)或AR技術(shù)。增擴現(xiàn)實技術(shù)是一項利用電腦產(chǎn)生的圖像并對這些圖像進行操控，從而使這些圖像看起來更加真實的技術(shù)。
“When it’s used in the right way, it’s a very powerful tool to drive mobile engagement and store traffic,” said Richard Corps, managing director.
“用對了的話，這項技術(shù)可以增加電話訂單，店里人流量也會增多。”管理總監(jiān)理查德如是說。
The company’s latest product is an “AR Window.” It superimposes life-sized augmented-reality characters on big screens in store windows.
公司最新一項產(chǎn)品是“模擬窗戶”。在商店窗口上添加真人大小的虛擬人物。
“It looks like those characters are actually inside the store ... it stops people outside the store because they’re amazed to see these characters ... and then it drives them inside the store because they want to have their photograph taken with these characters,” Corps said.
看起來這些人物就像真的在商店里一樣，這樣人們被這些人物吸引，就會駐足店外，吸引人們進入店內(nèi)和這些人物拍照。科爾普斯說道。
Customer service robots
為消費者服務的機器人
Customer service robots might also become a common store experience. The New York company Autonomous is experimenting with customer service robots. These wheeled devices include a Wi-Fi connection to a real person who can be seen on the robot’s screen.
機器人售貨員或許也會成為普通商店的一道風景。位于紐約的機器人公司目前正在試驗機器人服務員。這些轉(zhuǎn)輪式的機器內(nèi)部有無線連接裝置連接消費者，消費者能夠看到機器人屏幕內(nèi)容。
Robots in a hardware store, for example, could be operated from anywhere by experts in different fields, like plumbing or electrical wiring.
例如，在硬件商店，機器人可以服務多項工作，比如插電或者纏繞電線。
Autonomous chief Duy Huynh says the robots can make the shopping experience personal.
機器人公司總裁Duy Huynh表示，機器人能夠使購物體驗變得更加真實。
“With our technology, when you walk into a store one of our robots will approach you and behind the robot, [it’s] going to bring someone who knows your shopping habits, who has been helping you for the past six months, who knows what you need, to talk to you. So to us that’s really, really important and that’s the very first time you can actually do personalization offline.”
“有了這項技術(shù)，一旦消費者進入商店，其中一個機器人就會上前，并且后面的機器人則會推選出一個了解你購物習慣、在過去六個月內(nèi)曾經(jīng)為你服務過又知道你所需要的機器人和你攀談。所以對我們來說，它們真的是非常非常重要，這真的是第一次你可以真正使用機器人為你服務。”
I’m Phil Dierking.
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