VOA常速英语:Avatar Helps Children Recovering from Illness Feel Less Lonely(翻译)

This is AV1, an avatar that represents a child who is recovering from a long-term illness and cannot go to school.The robot is carrying between classes by the child’s friends and is placed on the desk where the child usually sits.It was developed by a Norwegian firm appropriately called No Isolation.

“So it sits at the child’s desk in the classroom and the child uses a tablet or a phone to start it,control its movement with touch, talk through it;so it’s the eyes and the ears and the voice at school,”

From home or a hospital bed, the recovering child can also participate in class.

“It has speakers and microphones and cameras,and when the child speaks at home or in the hospital to his iPad it just comes out.”

The avatar was designed to be resilient - water resistant and tough enough to withstand a fall from a desk.Inside AV1 is a small computer.

“It’s connected to the phone network 4G and that is connected to a small card that controls the robot.”

There’s a reason for its size and slightly humanoid appearance.

“It can’t be just a tiny camera because the other kids can’t pick it up and take it with them.This supposed to be their friend.”

The robot just became available to the public, helping some children feel a lot less lonely.