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A wink instead of a nudge 動手指不如眨眨眼睛

This handout picture, released by Osaka University researcher Kazuhiro Taniguchi on March 3, 2008, shows proto-type devices to operate digital music players or other electronic devices at his laboratory in Osaka, western Japan. 這張本月三日由大阪大學研究員谷口和弘提供的新聞照片中，一名女性在谷口位於關西大阪的實驗室中，展示可以操控數位音樂播放器或其他電子儀器的原型裝置。 照片：法新社 PHOTO: AFP

Don't read too much into someone winking at you in Japan - a researcher says he has developed a system that will soon let people run their iPods with the flick of an eye.

The system, comprising a single-chip computer and a couple of infrared sensors, monitors movements of the temple and is so tiny that it can be built into the side of a pair of eyeglasses.

Closing both eyes for one second starts an iPod, while blinking again stops the machine. A wink with the right eye makes the machine skip to the next tune while with a wink of the left eye it goes back.

As a person does not have to move either hand, the system can serve as a "third hand" for caregivers, rock-climbers, motorbike drivers and astronauts, as well as people with disabilities.

"You don't have to worry about the system moving incorrectly as it picks up signals when you close your eyes firmly. You can use this when you're eating or chatting with someone," said the device's developer, Kazuhiro Taniguchi.

The system - dubbed "Kome Kami Switch," or "Temple Switch" - can easily differentiate a deliberate one-second wink from natural blinking, said Taniguchi, a researcher at state-run Osaka University's Graduate School of Engineering Science.

"Normally you blink in an energy-saving manner, very quickly and lightly, but you would close your eyes more firmly to operate a device," he said.

The system can be programmed to accept a rapid double blink for those who can't wink.

The Kome Kami Switch is also capable of operating television sets, air conditioners, room lighting and other household electronics.

Taniguchi hopes the system can eventually be adapted to run cellphones, wheelchairs and robots as "an ultimate remote control" used in everyday life.

(AFP)

在日本如果有人向你眨眼，你可別會錯意了，因為一位研究人員表示，他已研發出一套系統，不久後就能讓人靠著眨眼操作iPod。

該系統由一個單晶片電腦和數個紅外線感應器組成，由於體積極小，它能裝在眼鏡腳架內，以監測太陽穴的運動。

只要雙眼合閉一秒鐘就可以啟動iPod，再眨眼一次即可關機；右眼眨一下可以跳至下一曲，左眼眨一下則可以回到上一曲。

讓人無需動手即可操作，該系統形同是看護、攀岩者、機車騎士、太空人和其他身障人士的「第三隻手」。

這套儀器的發明人谷口和弘說：「你不用擔心系統會誤下指令，因為系統在你緊閉雙眼時才會感應訊號。無論是吃飯或與他人交談時，皆可以使用。」

國立大阪大學工程科學所研究員谷口表示，名為「太陽穴開關」的這套系統，能夠輕易分辨自然眨眼和刻意眨眼一秒的差別。

他說：「人們眨眼通常是非常輕快不費力的，但你若要啟動裝置，則需用力閉上雙眼。」

這套系統還特別為了那些無法正常眨眼的人，設計了可接受快速眨眼兩次的程式指令。

「太陽穴開關」也能控制電視、冷氣、室內燈光和其他家用電器。

谷口希望該系統最終能適用於手機、輪椅和機器人，作為人類日常生活中的「終極遙控器」。

（法新社／翻譯：袁星塵）

Today 's Words 今日單字 1. comprise v.t. 由…組成 (you2 … zu3 cheng2) 例: The collection comprises over 100 rare books and several original paintings. (這套收藏包括一百多本罕見的書冊和若干原創畫作。) 2. temple n. 太陽穴 (tai4 yang2 xue4) 例: "My temple is throbbing!" said Penny. (佩妮說：「我的太陽穴一陣一陣抽痛。」) 3. caregiver n. 看護 (kan1 hu4) 例: Harry started work as a caregiver last month. (哈利上個月開始做看護。) 4. differentiate v.t./v.i. 區分 (qu1 fen1) 例: We need to differentiate between the two types of head injury. (我們必須分辨這兩種頭部傷害的差別。)

Say What? 說說看 read too much into 過度解讀 If someone reads too much into something then he or she derives too much meaning from an action, event, or comment. For example: "When Jerry said that he couldn't make their date on Friday, Simone decided that he just wasn't into her anymore, but I think that she's reading too much into it. He probably just has something else on." A similar expression is overanalyze, which means examining things too much. For example: "It drives me crazy when I try to talk to my brother about my day. He just overanalyzes everything and I end up feeling confused and insecure." 如果用「read too much into」形容某人對某事的看法，表示他或她對某個動作、事件或意見解讀過度，例如：「當傑瑞說他星期五無法赴約時，席夢認定他不再愛她了。可是我想她根本想太多了，他可能只是有事纏身」。 另一個意思類似的字是「overanalyze」，表示過度 檢視某事物，例如：「每次和我哥哥談論生活上 的點點滴滴都會令我抓狂，他總是過度檢視每 一件事，最後都讓我感到困惑又不安」。

Out Loud 對話練習 Tim: I've decided I'm going to get one of those new wink operated music sytems as soon as they come out. Sarah: Really? Tim: Yes, I love to keep up with the times. Sarah: I'm more of a stick in the mud myself. Tim: I know. I can tell by your CD Walkman! Sarah: Hey! At least I use an electric toothbrush. 提姆：我決定了，等那個新的眨眼音控系統一上市，我就要去買一套。 莎拉：真的嗎？ 提姆：沒錯，我喜歡追隨流行。 莎拉：我個人倒是比較守舊。 提姆：我知道，從你的CD隨身聽就看得出來了！ 莎拉：嘿！至少我用的是電動牙刷。 stick in the mud　守舊的、保守的 A stick in the mud is someone who doesn't like change or new ways of doing things. 「stick in the mud」是指不喜歡改變或用新的方法做事的人。

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