this is the Technology Report.Researches at Johns Hopkins University'sApplied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Marylandhave designed a new humanoid or human-like robot.Its name is Robo Sally.The machine can be controlled from a distanceand can be used to do workthat is dangerous for human beings.Robo Sally has two long arms with human-like hands.She can use her fingers to pick up small objects,examine them in detailand do most things that human hands can do.Each finger contains a tiny motor, capable ofsqueezing 20 pounds of pinch forceenough to defuse a bomb under the direction of an operator.She sits on a metal base with wheelsthat let her move around,turn in tight spaces and climb over small objects.Mike McLoughlin is the main investigatorfor the Applied Physics Laboratory's Prosthetics Program."The purpose of that program is to develop prosthetic armsthat have all the capability of your natural arms,and you do all the complex motionsthat we can do with the natural arm - with the robot.So we had this idea if we did this for prosthetics for humans,we could also put these on robotic platformsand enable the robots to go out into dangerous situations."It was a difficult job.Mr McLoughlin says the device had to have many small motorsto have the ability to do what a human hand does.It also need to have human-like strength.The thumb was especially difficultbecause it permits the hand to hold objects.And everything had to fit into a spaceabout the size of a human hand.The next problem, he says,was to figure out how to control the artificial hand."So we had to figure out how to make the connectionbetween the brain and this arm.We've done that for spinal injury patients,where we can actually interface with the brainand use the patient's thoughts to control the arm."For search-and-rescue duties,Robo Sally will be operated by a human beingusing a wireless machine that is far from the robot.The operator will also wear special gloves and glasses.The glasses were permitted the operatorto see the robot's hands, even though they are far away.Mr McLoughlin says this kind of robots could be usedin what he calls "dull, dirty or dangerous" situationswhere fine human finger movements are required."Opening a door, or turning the valve of, you know,a factory or a power plant like Fukushima,that was all designed for humans.You need to be able to go inand have the human-like capabilitiesin order to be able to work in that environment."Mr McLoughlin says the technologyis not ready for everyday application,but he predicts that within five yearswe will see some wonderful improvements.And that's the Technology Report from VOA Learning English.更多听力请访问51voa.com