通勤學英語 15Mins Today

每日跟讀#521: Italian Physicists Wrote a ’Perfect Pizza’ Equation

 

That’s the basic premise of a new paper titled "The Physics of Baking Good Pizza," published in the arXiv. In the mouth-watering study, two physicists and one food anthropologist recall the unassailable pizzas they sampled.

 

這是一篇新論文《烤出好披薩的物理學》的基本前提，刊登於（獨立科學期刊）arXiv。在這項令人垂涎欲滴的研究中，兩名物理學家與一名飲食人類學家還原出他們選擇的完美披薩。

 

Under ideal conditions, the authors wrote, a single pizza Margherita could be baked to perfection in precisely 2 minutes in a brick oven heated to 625 degrees Fahrenheit （330 degrees Celsius）. When additional toppings require additional bake time, some pizzaiolos may lift the pie up with a wooden or aluminum spade for an additional 30 seconds.

 

作者寫道，理想狀況下，在華氏625度（攝氏330度）的磚窯內精確地加熱2分鐘，可烘烤出一塊完美的瑪格麗特披薩。更多的鋪料需要更多的烘烤時間，一些披薩師傅會使用木頭或鋁製的鏟刀鏟起披薩，再多烤個30秒。

 

Using a long thermodynamic equation, the authors determined that a pizza cooked in an electric oven could meet similar conditions to a Roman brick oven by turning the heat down to 450 degrees F （230 degrees C） for 170 seconds.

 

使用冗長的熱力學等式，研究報告作者測定，一塊披薩在電烤箱內透過調低烘烤溫度至華式450度（攝氏230度）加熱170秒，也能達到類似羅馬式磚窯的烘製情況。

 

Source article: http://iservice.ltn.com.tw/Service/english/english.php?engno=1259501&day=2019-01-07

 

更多跟讀單元，就在www.15mins.today

每日跟讀#521: Italian Physicists Wrote a ’Perfect Pizza’ Equation

 

That’s the basic premise of a new paper titled "The Physics of Baking Good Pizza," published in the arXiv. In the mouth-watering study, two physicists and one food anthropologist recall the unassailable pizzas they sampled.

 

這是一篇新論文《烤出好披薩的物理學》的基本前提，刊登於（獨立科學期刊）arXiv。在這項令人垂涎欲滴的研究中，兩名物理學家與一名飲食人類學家還原出他們選擇的完美披薩。

 

Under ideal conditions, the authors wrote, a single pizza Margherita could be baked to perfection in precisely 2 minutes in a brick oven heated to 625 degrees Fahrenheit （330 degrees Celsius）. When additional toppings require additional bake time, some pizzaiolos may lift the pie up with a wooden or aluminum spade for an additional 30 seconds.

 

作者寫道，理想狀況下，在華氏625度（攝氏330度）的磚窯內精確地加熱2分鐘，可烘烤出一塊完美的瑪格麗特披薩。更多的鋪料需要更多的烘烤時間，一些披薩師傅會使用木頭或鋁製的鏟刀鏟起披薩，再多烤個30秒。

 

Using a long thermodynamic equation, the authors determined that a pizza cooked in an electric oven could meet similar conditions to a Roman brick oven by turning the heat down to 450 degrees F （230 degrees C） for 170 seconds.

 

使用冗長的熱力學等式，研究報告作者測定，一塊披薩在電烤箱內透過調低烘烤溫度至華式450度（攝氏230度）加熱170秒，也能達到類似羅馬式磚窯的烘製情況。

 

Source article: http://iservice.ltn.com.tw/Service/english/english.php?engno=1259501&day=2019-01-07

 

更多跟讀單元，就在www.15mins.today

每日跟讀#520: In Sweden, Happiness in a Shorter Workday Can't Overcome the Cost

 

A controversial experiment with a six-hour workday in one of Sweden’s largest cities wrapped up this week with a cheerful conclusion: Shorter working hours make for happier, healthier and more productive employees.

 

There’s just one catch. The practice is too expensive and unwieldy to become widespread in Sweden anytime soon.

 

把工時減為6小時的一項爭議性實驗，上個月在瑞典最大城市之一結束，得到了愉悅的結論：較短的工時使員工更快樂、更健康，也更有生產力。

 

只有一個但書。這種作法太昂貴也太不方便，短時間內難以拓展到瑞典全國。

 

The two-year trial, which took place in the southern city of Gothenburg, centered on a municipal retirement home where workers were switched to a six-hour day, from eight hours, with no pay cut. Seventeen new nursing positions were created to make up for the loss of time, at a cost of around 700,000 euros, or $738,000, a year.

 

Although it was small, the experiment stoked a widespread discussion about the future of work, namely whether investing in a better work-life balance for employees, and treating workers well rather than squeezing them, benefits the bottom line for companies and economies.

 

這項為期兩年的試驗在瑞典南部哥特堡市一處市立養老院進行，員工從每天上班8小時變成6小時，薪水不變。養老院增加了17個養護職缺以填補工時減少導致的人力缺口，每年支出約增加70萬歐元，合73.8萬美元（台幣2304萬元）。

 

這項實驗雖然規模不大，卻引發對未來工作的廣泛討論，亦即是否投資於改善員工工作與生活的平衡，善待員工而非壓榨他們，會給企業和經濟帶來根本的好處。

 

“The trial showed that there are many benefits of a shorter working day,” said Daniel Bernmar, the leader of the Left party on Gothenburg’s City Council, which had pushed for the experiment. “They include healthier staff, a better work environment and lower unemployment.”

 

But the high price tag, and political skepticism about the practicality of a shorter workday, was likely to discourage widespread support for taking the concept nationwide.

 

“The government is avoiding talking about the issue,” Mr. Bernmar said. “They’re not interested in looking at the bigger picture.”

 

大力推動這項實驗的哥特堡市市議會左派黨領袖貝恩馬說：「這項試驗顯示較短工時有許多好處，包括更健康的員工、更好的工作環境、更低的失業率。」

 

然而由於成本太高，政界又對短工時的實用性抱持懷疑態度，很可能使這項實驗推廣到全境遭受阻力。

 

貝恩馬說：「政府避談這個議題。他們也無意放大眼界來看這件事。」

 

While a growing number of countries and companies are studying the concept of employee happiness, the idea of improving it through shorter work hours has by no means gained broad traction. In Gothenburg, the City Council’s conservative opposition parties derided the experiment as a utopian folly and sought to kill it, citing high costs for taxpayers and arguments that the government should not intrude in the workplace. The current government is also not backing a shorter workweek.

 

Even the handful of progressive political groups aligned with Mr. Bernmar’s Left party have not made a six-hour workday in Sweden a priority in their platforms. Nor have large Swedish companies, including multinationals active around the world, embraced the idea. Other Swedish towns that previously conducted limited experiments with a shorter public-sector workweek eventually abandoned the concept, citing high costs and flawed implementation.

 

儘管研究員工幸福這個概念的國家和企業愈來愈多，透過縮減工時來加以改善的點子卻尚未獲得廣泛迴響。在哥特堡市，市議會保守派反對黨嘲笑這項實驗是烏托邦式的愚行並試圖扼殺它，理由是納稅人負擔太重，以及政府不應干預職場。瑞典政府也不支持縮短每周工作時數。

 

就連與貝恩馬的左派黨結盟的數個進步政治團體，也未將6小時工時列為最重要黨綱。瑞典各大企業，包括活躍於全球的跨國公司，也不熱中於這個點子。另有一些瑞典城鎮曾在公部門實施縮短每周工時的實驗，但最後都放棄這種做法，因為成本太高且執行上也有問題。

 

Source:https://paper.udn.com/udnpaper/POH0067/310747/web/

 

更多每日跟讀單元，就在www.15mins.today

每日跟讀#520: In Sweden, Happiness in a Shorter Workday Can't Overcome the Cost

 

A controversial experiment with a six-hour workday in one of Sweden’s largest cities wrapped up this week with a cheerful conclusion: Shorter working hours make for happier, healthier and more productive employees.

 

There’s just one catch. The practice is too expensive and unwieldy to become widespread in Sweden anytime soon.

 

把工時減為6小時的一項爭議性實驗，上個月在瑞典最大城市之一結束，得到了愉悅的結論：較短的工時使員工更快樂、更健康，也更有生產力。

 

只有一個但書。這種作法太昂貴也太不方便，短時間內難以拓展到瑞典全國。

 

The two-year trial, which took place in the southern city of Gothenburg, centered on a municipal retirement home where workers were switched to a six-hour day, from eight hours, with no pay cut. Seventeen new nursing positions were created to make up for the loss of time, at a cost of around 700,000 euros, or $738,000, a year.

 

Although it was small, the experiment stoked a widespread discussion about the future of work, namely whether investing in a better work-life balance for employees, and treating workers well rather than squeezing them, benefits the bottom line for companies and economies.

 

這項為期兩年的試驗在瑞典南部哥特堡市一處市立養老院進行，員工從每天上班8小時變成6小時，薪水不變。養老院增加了17個養護職缺以填補工時減少導致的人力缺口，每年支出約增加70萬歐元，合73.8萬美元（台幣2304萬元）。

 

這項實驗雖然規模不大，卻引發對未來工作的廣泛討論，亦即是否投資於改善員工工作與生活的平衡，善待員工而非壓榨他們，會給企業和經濟帶來根本的好處。

 

“The trial showed that there are many benefits of a shorter working day,” said Daniel Bernmar, the leader of the Left party on Gothenburg’s City Council, which had pushed for the experiment. “They include healthier staff, a better work environment and lower unemployment.”

 

But the high price tag, and political skepticism about the practicality of a shorter workday, was likely to discourage widespread support for taking the concept nationwide.

 

“The government is avoiding talking about the issue,” Mr. Bernmar said. “They’re not interested in looking at the bigger picture.”

 

大力推動這項實驗的哥特堡市市議會左派黨領袖貝恩馬說：「這項試驗顯示較短工時有許多好處，包括更健康的員工、更好的工作環境、更低的失業率。」

 

然而由於成本太高，政界又對短工時的實用性抱持懷疑態度，很可能使這項實驗推廣到全境遭受阻力。

 

貝恩馬說：「政府避談這個議題。他們也無意放大眼界來看這件事。」

 

While a growing number of countries and companies are studying the concept of employee happiness, the idea of improving it through shorter work hours has by no means gained broad traction. In Gothenburg, the City Council’s conservative opposition parties derided the experiment as a utopian folly and sought to kill it, citing high costs for taxpayers and arguments that the government should not intrude in the workplace. The current government is also not backing a shorter workweek.

 

Even the handful of progressive political groups aligned with Mr. Bernmar’s Left party have not made a six-hour workday in Sweden a priority in their platforms. Nor have large Swedish companies, including multinationals active around the world, embraced the idea. Other Swedish towns that previously conducted limited experiments with a shorter public-sector workweek eventually abandoned the concept, citing high costs and flawed implementation.

 

儘管研究員工幸福這個概念的國家和企業愈來愈多，透過縮減工時來加以改善的點子卻尚未獲得廣泛迴響。在哥特堡市，市議會保守派反對黨嘲笑這項實驗是烏托邦式的愚行並試圖扼殺它，理由是納稅人負擔太重，以及政府不應干預職場。瑞典政府也不支持縮短每周工作時數。

 

就連與貝恩馬的左派黨結盟的數個進步政治團體，也未將6小時工時列為最重要黨綱。瑞典各大企業，包括活躍於全球的跨國公司，也不熱中於這個點子。另有一些瑞典城鎮曾在公部門實施縮短每周工時的實驗，但最後都放棄這種做法，因為成本太高且執行上也有問題。

 

Source:https://paper.udn.com/udnpaper/POH0067/310747/web/

 

更多每日跟讀單元，就在www.15mins.today

每日跟讀#519: Male Nurses Explain Why Nursing Is a Job of the Future for Men

 

Jake Creviston, a nurse practitioner, has been repeatedly mistaken for a doctor.

 

Adam White says the veterans he cares for as a student nurse at the VA hospital feel comfortable around him because “I’m a big burly guy with a beard.”

 

執業護理師克雷維斯登常被誤認為醫生。

 

懷特說，他在退伍軍人醫院擔任實習護理師，他照顧的老兵看到他都覺得很自在，因為「我高大魁梧，還有鬍子」。

 

Glenn Fletcher, after being laid off from a lumber mill during the financial crisis, found a new career in nursing. And with it, “a really good feeling putting your head on the pillow realizing you’ve helped other people.”

 

The experiences of male nurses offer lessons that could help address a problem of our time: how to prepare workers for the fastest-growing jobs, at a time when more than a quarter of men are not in the labor force.

 

弗萊徹在金融危機時期被鋸木廠裁員，後來在護理業覓得職涯第二春，而他說，從事這一行，「你會體認到你幫到了人，帶著很棒的心情入睡」。

 

男護理師的經驗給我們上了一課，或許有助於因應我們這個時代的一個問題：在超過25%男性待業的此際，如何培訓勞工從事這需求成長最快速的工作。

 

Only 13 percent of nurses in the United States are men, but that share has grown steadily since 1960, when the number was 2 percent, according to a working paper published in October by the Washington Center for Equitable Growth.

 

“It’s not a flood, but it’s a change,” said Abigail Wozniak, an economist at the University of Notre Dame, who wrote the paper with Elizabeth Munnich, an economist at the University of Louisville. The biggest drivers, they found, were the changing economy and expanding gender roles.

 

美國僅13%護理師是男性，不過，智庫「華盛頓公平成長中心」去年10月發布的工作報告顯示，1960年這個比率是2%，此後即穩定成長。

 

美國聖母大學經濟學者沃茲尼亞克說：「這不是像洪水一樣的劇變，但確實有改變。」他與路易斯維爾大學經濟學者伊麗莎白．穆尼克合寫這份報告。他們發現，最大的原因是經濟改變和性別角色擴展。

 

We talked to a dozen male nurses, with various career paths and specialties, working in the Pacific Northwest, where recruitment efforts have focused on bringing men into nursing. Some were drawn to the caregiving, others to the adrenaline of the work. It’s a reliable, well-paying job at a time when that’s hard to come by, they said, but also one they feel proud of.

 

Women have been entering male-dominated fields for decades, but it’s less common for a predominantly female occupation to have a substantial increase in its share of men. Yet the jobs that are shrinking tend to be male ones, and those that are growing are mostly female.

 

我們訪問了12名男護理師，每個人的職業道路和專長各不相同，但都在美國西北部工作，這個區域致力於招募男性從事護理業。有些人因為喜歡護理工作而走上此途，另一些人則是看上這份工作夠刺激。他們說，護理這一行工作穩定薪酬又高 ，現在這種工作可不好找，不過他們同時也以當護理師為榮。

 

女性進入男性主宰的工作領域已有數十年之久，但在女性主宰的領域，男性占比顯著增加則較不常見。不過，數量萎縮的通常是男性的職缺，成長的則大多是女性的職缺。

 

Nursing is no paragon of gender equality: Even though men are a minority in the field, they are paid more than women. The stigma against men still runs deep, particularly among older patients and in parts of the country with more traditional gender roles, nurses said. (Several said the movie “Meet the Parents,” in which Ben Stiller played a nurse whose girlfriend’s father wasn’t thrilled about his career, didn’t help.)

 

But for some men, the notion that caregiving jobs are women’s work is outdated. Progressive attitudes about gender roles, as measured by the General Social Survey, were associated with more men who entered nursing, the new paper found.

 

護理這一行並不是性別平等的典範：雖然男性在這領域占少數，薪水卻仍高於女性。護理師們說，對於男護理師的汙名化仍然很嚴重，尤其在年紀較大的病患間和在美國部分較執著於傳統性別角色的地區。（其中有些人說，在電影「門當父不對」中，班史提勒飾演男護理師，女友的父親對他的職業不滿意，這部電影也沒幫上忙。）

 

不過，對一些男性而言，護理工作是女性專利的想法已經過時了。美國最新的「社會概況調查」顯示，對性別角色態度的進步，與更多男性從事護理工作有關。

 

Source:https://paper.udn.com/udnpaper/POH0067/323365/web/

更多的每日跟讀單元就在www.15mins.today

每日跟讀#519: Male Nurses Explain Why Nursing Is a Job of the Future for Men

 

Jake Creviston, a nurse practitioner, has been repeatedly mistaken for a doctor.

 

Adam White says the veterans he cares for as a student nurse at the VA hospital feel comfortable around him because “I’m a big burly guy with a beard.”

 

執業護理師克雷維斯登常被誤認為醫生。

 

懷特說，他在退伍軍人醫院擔任實習護理師，他照顧的老兵看到他都覺得很自在，因為「我高大魁梧，還有鬍子」。

 

Glenn Fletcher, after being laid off from a lumber mill during the financial crisis, found a new career in nursing. And with it, “a really good feeling putting your head on the pillow realizing you’ve helped other people.”

 

The experiences of male nurses offer lessons that could help address a problem of our time: how to prepare workers for the fastest-growing jobs, at a time when more than a quarter of men are not in the labor force.

 

弗萊徹在金融危機時期被鋸木廠裁員，後來在護理業覓得職涯第二春，而他說，從事這一行，「你會體認到你幫到了人，帶著很棒的心情入睡」。

 

男護理師的經驗給我們上了一課，或許有助於因應我們這個時代的一個問題：在超過25%男性待業的此際，如何培訓勞工從事這需求成長最快速的工作。

 

Only 13 percent of nurses in the United States are men, but that share has grown steadily since 1960, when the number was 2 percent, according to a working paper published in October by the Washington Center for Equitable Growth.

 

“It’s not a flood, but it’s a change,” said Abigail Wozniak, an economist at the University of Notre Dame, who wrote the paper with Elizabeth Munnich, an economist at the University of Louisville. The biggest drivers, they found, were the changing economy and expanding gender roles.

 

美國僅13%護理師是男性，不過，智庫「華盛頓公平成長中心」去年10月發布的工作報告顯示，1960年這個比率是2%，此後即穩定成長。

 

美國聖母大學經濟學者沃茲尼亞克說：「這不是像洪水一樣的劇變，但確實有改變。」他與路易斯維爾大學經濟學者伊麗莎白．穆尼克合寫這份報告。他們發現，最大的原因是經濟改變和性別角色擴展。

 

We talked to a dozen male nurses, with various career paths and specialties, working in the Pacific Northwest, where recruitment efforts have focused on bringing men into nursing. Some were drawn to the caregiving, others to the adrenaline of the work. It’s a reliable, well-paying job at a time when that’s hard to come by, they said, but also one they feel proud of.

 

Women have been entering male-dominated fields for decades, but it’s less common for a predominantly female occupation to have a substantial increase in its share of men. Yet the jobs that are shrinking tend to be male ones, and those that are growing are mostly female.

 

我們訪問了12名男護理師，每個人的職業道路和專長各不相同，但都在美國西北部工作，這個區域致力於招募男性從事護理業。有些人因為喜歡護理工作而走上此途，另一些人則是看上這份工作夠刺激。他們說，護理這一行工作穩定薪酬又高 ，現在這種工作可不好找，不過他們同時也以當護理師為榮。

 

女性進入男性主宰的工作領域已有數十年之久，但在女性主宰的領域，男性占比顯著增加則較不常見。不過，數量萎縮的通常是男性的職缺，成長的則大多是女性的職缺。

 

Nursing is no paragon of gender equality: Even though men are a minority in the field, they are paid more than women. The stigma against men still runs deep, particularly among older patients and in parts of the country with more traditional gender roles, nurses said. (Several said the movie “Meet the Parents,” in which Ben Stiller played a nurse whose girlfriend’s father wasn’t thrilled about his career, didn’t help.)

 

But for some men, the notion that caregiving jobs are women’s work is outdated. Progressive attitudes about gender roles, as measured by the General Social Survey, were associated with more men who entered nursing, the new paper found.

 

護理這一行並不是性別平等的典範：雖然男性在這領域占少數，薪水卻仍高於女性。護理師們說，對於男護理師的汙名化仍然很嚴重，尤其在年紀較大的病患間和在美國部分較執著於傳統性別角色的地區。（其中有些人說，在電影「門當父不對」中，班史提勒飾演男護理師，女友的父親對他的職業不滿意，這部電影也沒幫上忙。）

 

不過，對一些男性而言，護理工作是女性專利的想法已經過時了。美國最新的「社會概況調查」顯示，對性別角色態度的進步，與更多男性從事護理工作有關。

 

Source:https://paper.udn.com/udnpaper/POH0067/323365/web/

更多的每日跟讀單元就在www.15mins.today

每日跟讀#518: The Latest in Apartment Technology: Fridge Cams and Robotic Valets

 

The latest in technology for apartments encourages residents not to lift a finger, except maybe to touch their phones.

 

Developers are certain that buyers want gadgets that could, say, help shuffle boxes of books to storage areas, or allow a peek inside the refrigerator when they’re at the grocery store and can’t remember if they need milk.

 

最新的公寓科技鼓勵住戶連根手指都不必舉起，除了可能得用它來按一下手機。

 

開發商十分肯定買家肯定會想要這樣的工具，譬如說，可以幫忙將幾箱書移到儲藏區，或人在雜貨店，想不起來是否需要購買牛奶時，能幫助你看見冰箱內容物的這些裝置。

 

These digital amenities, which are controlled by voice commands and smartphone apps and use robots, are turning up across the New York area in condos, co-ops and rentals, even if users may have to contend with a few glitches. Users may also have to pay a premium.

 

Yet, to not plug in, developers say, would be to lose out.

 

這類透過語音命令、智慧手機應用程式加以控制，利用機器人建構的數位環境，正開始出現於紐約地區的集合式公寓、合作式公寓和出租公寓，儘管用戶可能還不得不面對一些小故障。此外，用戶還可能得多付些錢。

 

不過，開發商說，不跟上這潮流，可就輸定了。

 

“It’s not about the future,” said Elena Ashkinazy, a manager at Time Equities, the developer listing a two-bedroom co-op on the Upper East Side called the “smart apart” for its futuristic features. This apartment includes a fridge that has three cameras inside that are accessible remotely. “The time is here,” Ashkinazy said, “and we have to be up-to-date.”

 

「時代地產公司」經理艾琳娜．艾許辛基納齊說：「這跟未來無關。時間就是現在。我們必須及時更新。」「時代地產」在紐約上東城推出一個雙臥室的合作式公寓，因為具備未來概念功能，因此稱它是「智慧公寓」。這個公寓包括一台冰箱，內有3台攝影機，可遠程遙控。

 

This latest crop of cutting-edge features includes an all-in-one furniture system designed to save space by expanding or contracting at the flick of a switch. It is available in rental projects in New Jersey and Manhattan, including at the Riverbend District, a mixed-use complex under construction in Harrison, New Jersey, from DeBartolo Development and Advance Realty. Renters in the first 286-unit phase of the project, called Steel Works, are about to be given the option of leasing a telescoping bed-and-dresser system designed by Ori Systems, a startup.

 

這些最新的尖端特徵包括一個一體化的家具系統，它是為節省空間而設計，只要輕按一個開關，家具系統就能張開或縮回。消費者可在新澤西州和曼哈坦，包括曼哈坦河曲區的出租公寓找到這種公寓，「迪巴托洛發展與先進地產」在新澤西州哈里森建造中的一棟混合用途綜合大樓，也有這種功能。新大樓名為「鋼鐵廠」，第一期共有286間房，它的承租人很快就可以選擇是否租用一個由新創公司「歐里系統」設計的伸縮式床鋪和化妝台系統。

 

At night, renters can slide out a hidden bed, by manually pressing a switch; tapping their phones; or through voice-assistant software, which in Steel Works’ case means via Echo Dot. This puck-size Amazon.com device comes with all units.

 

In the morning, the bed can retract inside the Ori unit, which is plugged into a wall and mounted on a track, allowing the entire unit to be moved to create a larger living space for entertaining. The unit, lined with hanging rods and drawers, is made of poplar plywood and also has a surface that can be extended for a desk.

 

夜晚時，租戶可以手動按下開關滑出隱藏的床；或是輕按他們的手機；或是透過語音助理軟體。在「鋼鐵廠」內，它是透過「迴聲點」來滑床。每套公寓都有這個冰球大小，由亞馬遜達康提供的裝置。

 

清晨時，床鋪可收回到歐里床組中，床組嵌入牆壁，且安裝在軌道上，因此整個床組都能移動，創造出可供娛樂用的更大起居空間。床組是以白楊木三合板製成，附有吊桿和抽屜，而且有一平面可擴展成一張桌子。

 

Source: https://paper.udn.com/udnpaper/POH0067/323365/web/

 

更多每日跟讀單元，就在www.15mins.today

每日跟讀#518: The Latest in Apartment Technology: Fridge Cams and Robotic Valets

 

The latest in technology for apartments encourages residents not to lift a finger, except maybe to touch their phones.

 

Developers are certain that buyers want gadgets that could, say, help shuffle boxes of books to storage areas, or allow a peek inside the refrigerator when they’re at the grocery store and can’t remember if they need milk.

 

最新的公寓科技鼓勵住戶連根手指都不必舉起，除了可能得用它來按一下手機。

 

開發商十分肯定買家肯定會想要這樣的工具，譬如說，可以幫忙將幾箱書移到儲藏區，或人在雜貨店，想不起來是否需要購買牛奶時，能幫助你看見冰箱內容物的這些裝置。

 

These digital amenities, which are controlled by voice commands and smartphone apps and use robots, are turning up across the New York area in condos, co-ops and rentals, even if users may have to contend with a few glitches. Users may also have to pay a premium.

 

Yet, to not plug in, developers say, would be to lose out.

 

這類透過語音命令、智慧手機應用程式加以控制，利用機器人建構的數位環境，正開始出現於紐約地區的集合式公寓、合作式公寓和出租公寓，儘管用戶可能還不得不面對一些小故障。此外，用戶還可能得多付些錢。

 

不過，開發商說，不跟上這潮流，可就輸定了。

 

“It’s not about the future,” said Elena Ashkinazy, a manager at Time Equities, the developer listing a two-bedroom co-op on the Upper East Side called the “smart apart” for its futuristic features. This apartment includes a fridge that has three cameras inside that are accessible remotely. “The time is here,” Ashkinazy said, “and we have to be up-to-date.”

 

「時代地產公司」經理艾琳娜．艾許辛基納齊說：「這跟未來無關。時間就是現在。我們必須及時更新。」「時代地產」在紐約上東城推出一個雙臥室的合作式公寓，因為具備未來概念功能，因此稱它是「智慧公寓」。這個公寓包括一台冰箱，內有3台攝影機，可遠程遙控。

 

This latest crop of cutting-edge features includes an all-in-one furniture system designed to save space by expanding or contracting at the flick of a switch. It is available in rental projects in New Jersey and Manhattan, including at the Riverbend District, a mixed-use complex under construction in Harrison, New Jersey, from DeBartolo Development and Advance Realty. Renters in the first 286-unit phase of the project, called Steel Works, are about to be given the option of leasing a telescoping bed-and-dresser system designed by Ori Systems, a startup.

 

這些最新的尖端特徵包括一個一體化的家具系統，它是為節省空間而設計，只要輕按一個開關，家具系統就能張開或縮回。消費者可在新澤西州和曼哈坦，包括曼哈坦河曲區的出租公寓找到這種公寓，「迪巴托洛發展與先進地產」在新澤西州哈里森建造中的一棟混合用途綜合大樓，也有這種功能。新大樓名為「鋼鐵廠」，第一期共有286間房，它的承租人很快就可以選擇是否租用一個由新創公司「歐里系統」設計的伸縮式床鋪和化妝台系統。

 

At night, renters can slide out a hidden bed, by manually pressing a switch; tapping their phones; or through voice-assistant software, which in Steel Works’ case means via Echo Dot. This puck-size Amazon.com device comes with all units.

 

In the morning, the bed can retract inside the Ori unit, which is plugged into a wall and mounted on a track, allowing the entire unit to be moved to create a larger living space for entertaining. The unit, lined with hanging rods and drawers, is made of poplar plywood and also has a surface that can be extended for a desk.

 

夜晚時，租戶可以手動按下開關滑出隱藏的床；或是輕按他們的手機；或是透過語音助理軟體。在「鋼鐵廠」內，它是透過「迴聲點」來滑床。每套公寓都有這個冰球大小，由亞馬遜達康提供的裝置。

 

清晨時，床鋪可收回到歐里床組中，床組嵌入牆壁，且安裝在軌道上，因此整個床組都能移動，創造出可供娛樂用的更大起居空間。床組是以白楊木三合板製成，附有吊桿和抽屜，而且有一平面可擴展成一張桌子。

 

Source: https://paper.udn.com/udnpaper/POH0067/323365/web/

 

更多每日跟讀單元，就在www.15mins.today

台北嘿掰講 Ep20 - New Apple Watch heralds ‘smart healthcare’ revolution

 

每週更新的播客，來聽聽Gavin跟John這禮拜聊最新的蘋果手錶

 

#Taipeibanter＃台北嘿掰講

 

詞彙：

 

1. Herald - messenger (message) 預報者(預報)

2. ...muted reaction - mute 小聲, 安靜 - 弱化的回應

3. Imminent - about to happen 逼近, 即將發生

4. ...piece of the pie - piece of the market share (瓜分市場一部分, pie=市場)

5. ...snowball effect - grow like a snowball 雪球效應

 

Taipei Banter, where John and Gavin talk about the interesting things around the world.

 

跟讀文章: http://www.15mins.today/blog/501-new-apple-watch-heralds-smart-healthcare-revolution-for-aging?categoryId=11281

 

更多台北嘿掰講, please visit http://www.15mins.today/taipei-banter-podcast

台北嘿掰講 Ep20 - New Apple Watch heralds ‘smart healthcare’ revolution

 

每週更新的播客，來聽聽Gavin跟John這禮拜聊最新的蘋果手錶

 

#Taipeibanter＃台北嘿掰講

 

詞彙：

 

1. Herald - messenger (message) 預報者(預報)

2. ...muted reaction - mute 小聲, 安靜 - 弱化的回應

3. Imminent - about to happen 逼近, 即將發生

4. ...piece of the pie - piece of the market share (瓜分市場一部分, pie=市場)

5. ...snowball effect - grow like a snowball 雪球效應

 

Taipei Banter, where John and Gavin talk about the interesting things around the world.

 

跟讀文章: http://www.15mins.today/blog/501-new-apple-watch-heralds-smart-healthcare-revolution-for-aging?categoryId=11281

 

更多台北嘿掰講, please visit http://www.15mins.today/taipei-banter-podcast