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進入《中英對照讀新聞》Flying drone inspired by swimming jellyfish 無人機從游動水母獲得啟發
◎詹立群
Previous designs for so-called flapping wing aircraft have mimicked the wing motions of insects, but the new design is based on the way jellyfish swim.
所謂撲翼飛機的舊時設計是模仿昆蟲的翅膀運作，但新設計是來自水母游動的方式。
The prototype built by scientists at New York University is able to keep upright and recover from disturbances.
由紐約大學科學家打造的原型，可維持直立飛行，不受干擾影響。
Most efforts to build stable flapping-wing aircraft - or ornithopters - have based their designs on the way insects fly.
建立穩定撲翼機的多數努力，都是以昆蟲飛行方式的設計為基礎。
But this approach leads to aircraft that are inherently unstable, tending to flip over if left to their own devices.
但這種途徑導致飛機先天性不穩定，在自主飛行時容易翻覆。
Stabilising these designs requires either active control systems, or the addition of sails and tails that act as aerodynamic dampers.
要讓這些設計穩定，需要主動控制系統，要不然就是得加上可做為空氣動力板的機帆與機尾。
Using jellyfish as one inspiration, the researchers set out to achieve stable hovering using flapping wings alone.
研究人員從水母獲得啟發，打算只藉由振翅達到穩定懸浮的目標。
They developed a 10cm prototype with four distinct wings that demonstrated an inherent tendency to remain upright during flight.
他們研發出一具有4片翅膀的10公分原型機，展示可維持直升飛行的內在能力。
新聞辭典
upright：形容詞，直的、豎立的。例句：Thrust a stick upright in the earth.（把棍子直插在地上。）
flip over：片語，翻過來、仰面朝上。例句：I flip over the fried egg.（我把煎蛋翻了個面。）
hover：動詞，盤旋、徘徊。例句：A hawk was hovering over its nest.（一隻老鷹在牠的巢上盤旋。）
