高中英语Unit1 Great scientists文章 Disability-The Computer人教版必修五VIP免费

Disability-TheComputerHereareafewwordsbyProfessorHawkingabouthiscomputersystem.CommunicationsystemIcommunicatewithacomputersystem.IhavealwaysusedIBMcompatiblecomputers,onmywheelchair.Theyrunfrombatteriesunderthewheelchair,althoughaninternalbatterywillkeepthecomputerrunningforanhourifnecessary.ThescreenismountedonthearmofthewheelchairwhereIcanseeit,morerecentsystemshavethewholecomputerinaboxonthisarm.TheoriginalsystemswereputtogetherformebyDavidMason,ofCambridgeAdaptiveCommunications.Thiscompanymanufactureandsupplyavarietyofproductstohelppeoplewithcommunicationproblemsexpressthemselves.Recently,IntelengineersdesignedanewcomputerformepoweredbyaPentiumIIprocessor,whichInowuse.Onthecomputer,IrunaprogramcalledEqualizer?,writtenbyacompanycalledWordsPlusinc.Acursormovesacrosstheupperpartofthescreen.Icanstopitbypressingaswitchinmyhand.Thisswitchismyonlyinterfacewiththecomputer.InthiswayIcanselectwords,whichareprintedonthelowerpartofthescreen.WhenIhavebuiltupasentence,Icansendittoaspeechsynthesizer.Iuseaseparatesynthesizer,madebySpeech+.ItisthebestIhaveheard,thoughitgivesmeanaccentthathasbeendescribedvariouslyasScandinavian,AmericanorScottish.IalsocanuseWindows98throughaninterfacecalledEZKeys,againmadebyWordsPlus.Iamabletocontrolthemousewiththeswitchthroughcleverlyselectedprocessfromasmallboxshownonthedesktop.Icanalsowritetextusingsimilarmenu'stothoseinEqualizer.IcansavewhatIwritetodisk.IwritepapersusingaformattingprogramcalledTEX.Icanwriteequationsinwords,andtheprogramtranslatesthemintosymbols,andprintsthemoutonpaperintheappropriatetype.Icanalsogivelectures.Iwritethelecturebeforehand,用心爱心专心andsaveitondisk.Icanthensendittothespeechsynthesiser,asentenceatatime.Itworksquitewell,andIcantryoutthelecture,andpolishit,beforeIgiveit.StephenHawkingRecentImprovementsProfessorHawkingisdeterminedthatheisabletokeepupwiththerecentimprovementsincomputerandcommunicationtechnology.Belowaresomeoftherecentimprovements,whichhavebeencarriedoutonthesystemwithinthelast12months.LatestPentiumchipInNovember'03,ProfessorHawkingwasdonatedanewcustom-mademobilecomputersystembyIntel.ItispoweredbyaCentrinoPentiumM1.5GHzchip.Withinbuiltwireless,itallowshimaccessestotheinternetthroughouthishomeandoffice.Innon-wirelessareas,IntelmanageamobilephoneaccountforussothatProfessorHawkingisabletodialintotheCambridgeserverfromanywhereintheworld,viaaNokialaptopcardphone.UpgradetoWindowsXPTokeepupwiththetimes,thenewcomputerisrunningonWindowsXP.FormanyyearsithasbeenimpossibletoupgradebeyondWindows'98,becauseProfessorHawking'sfavouritespeechsoftware,EqualizerbyWords-Plus,wasmademanyyearsago,andwasdesignedtorunonlyonDOSbasedoperatingsystems.However,IntelhaskindlyfundedtheconversionofthesoftwaretoXP.ThisinvolvedWords-Plusre-writingthewholeprogramfortoday抯operatingsystem.PowerDuetoProfessorHawking'sactivelifestyle,itisimpossibletopowerhischaircomputerviathemainsasheisneverinoneplacelongenoughtomakethispractical.ThusthelaptopneedstobepoweredbyasetofslimPowerPadbatteriesonhischair.Thenewcomputercanalsobepowereddirectlyoffhiswheelchairmotorbatterytoo.用心爱心专心KeeptalkingItisessentialthatStephenisabletomakeuseofatelephone.Heisabletouseeitherhislaptopmobilecardphone,orconnecthischaircomputerdirectlytoatelephonesocket.Theprocessworksbysendingdigitalcommandsfromhiscomputerinstructingthephonesystemtodialanumber,answerthephoneorhangupattheendofacall.Who'sgottheremote?Stephenhasauniversallyprogrammableinfra-redremotecontrolattacheddirectlytohiscomputersystem.Thisenableshimtooperatemanyoftheelectronicitemsinhishome,suchastelevisions,videorecordersandmusiccentres.Healsohasaradiocontroldevicewhichenableshimtoopendoorsandoperatelightsthroughouthishome.Heisnowalsoabletooperatedoorswithinhisworkplace.WiththeopeningofthenewlybuiltCentreforMathematicalSciences,hewillbeabletogetaboutthebuildingvirtuallyunassisted.用心爱心专心