东京羽田国际机场投入WHILL智能轮椅以解决“旅客出行的最后一公里”

Call it a mobility system or a wheelchair – it can be seen at the Tokyo airport moving on its own.

一种被称作移动系统或轮椅的设备出现在了东京机场。

It is helping with social distancing while fighting the spread of the coronavirus. It also helps older passengers and those who otherwise need assistance walking the last few steps to the boarding gate.

该设备有助于保持社交距离以抗击病毒的传播。同时，该设备也为年长旅客或需要协助登机的旅客提供了帮助。

The mobility system seats one person and runs on its own without hitting anything. It has a pre-programmed path of about 600 meters at Tokyo's Haneda International Airport. It was shown Monday by WHILL, the company behind the technology.

该自动系统轮椅可搭载一名旅客，并做到无障碍自由运行。因为该设备技术公司WHILL预先将东京羽田机场大约600米的通道写入了预编程路径中，并于周一对该设备进行了运行展示。

WHILL Chief Executive Satoshi Sugie said robotics and self-driving technology reduce the need for a human at the wheel. They are good for these times of "living with" coronavirus.

WHILL首席执行官Satoshi Sugie表示，机器人技术和自动驾驶技术降低了对人类驾驶的需求。而在这“与病毒共存”的时段而言，更为凸显其优势。

"We are...developing our business in order to help restore a world where people can enjoy moving around with peace of mind," he told The Associated Press.

他对美联社表示:“我们……发展我们的业务，是为了帮助重建一个让人们可以安心四处畅游的世界。”

The ride lasts several minutes. It travels from the security area to the boarding gate at a speed of 3.5 kilometers per hour. But many people hope the technology can help in other places, such as hospitals or parks. The technology uses sensors and cameras to see a clear path and avoid hitting those walking toward it.

整个旅程持续几分钟。它以每小时3.5公里的速度从安全区域到达登机口。但是很多人希望这项技术可以帮助其他地方，比如医院或公园。该技术利用传感器和摄像头辨清道路，以此避开相向而来的行人。

It could also help Japan free up laborers. Japan, like many other nations, suffers from a labor shortage. The technology could free a worker to do another job.

这同时也缓解了日本的劳动力压力。和不少国家一样，日本正面临着严重的劳动力短缺问题。该技术将释放部分劳动力以满足其他工作岗位的劳动力需求。

Tests have been carried out at several airports since last year, including John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. The company hopes to put it in airports around the world.

去年开始，该设备的测试就已在多个国际机场中进行，当中包括了纽约肯尼迪国际机场。WHILL公司期待未来将该设备投入到全球各地的机场当中。

The person on the machine can start or stop it through a simple controller. It runs on batteries and is programmed to return to where it started when its passenger gets off.

设备上的乘客可通过一个简单的控制器控制向前或是停止。该设备靠电池运行，并被设定在乘客下车后返回出发地。

Anyone needing help walking long distances can use it at Terminal One at Haneda airport. It is called the "last-mile mobility," says WHILL.

羽田机场一号航站楼已投入该设备，任何有需要的用户都可进行使用。WHILL公司将其称为“最后一公里移动设备”。

编译：By Aslan, June 12, 2020