人造神经新突破
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Prosthetics may soon take on a whole new feel.
修复学可能将很快面目一新。
That’s because researchers have created a new type of artificial nerve that can sense touch, process information, and communicate with other nerves much like those in our own bodies do.
这是因为研究员们已经创建出了一种新型的人造神经，它可以感知触摸，处理信息，还可以像我们自己身体里的神经那样跟周围的神经进行交流。
Now, researchers led by chemist Zhenan Bao at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California, have constructed an artificial sensory nerve that works in much the same way.
如今，由化学家鲍哲南带领的加州帕洛阿尔托的斯坦福大学的研究员们已经建立起了一种人工感知神经，就是以上述方式运作的。
Made of flexible organic components, the nerve consists of three parts.
这些神经由柔软的有机成分制成，由三个部分组成。
First, a series of dozens of sensors pick up on pressure cues.
首先，一系列成打的感应器会收集压力信号。
Pressing on one of these sensors causes an increase in voltage between two electrodes.
压迫这些感应器会导致两个电极之间的电压升高。
This change is then picked up by a second device called a ring oscillator, which converts voltage changes into a string of electrical pulses.
这种变化又被第二种叫做环形振荡器的设备感应到，它会把电压变化转化为一串的电脉冲。
These pulses, and those from other pressure sensor/ring oscillator combos, are fed into a third device called a synaptic transistor, which sends out a series of electrical pulses in patterns that match those produced by biological neurons.
这些脉冲和其他的压力感应环形振荡器的脉冲整合后，会进入第三种设备叫做突触晶体管，它可以用跟生物神经相符的方式送出一系列的电脉冲。
Bao and her colleagues used their setup to detect the motion of a small rod moving in different directions across their pressure sensors, as well as identify Braille characters.
鲍先生和他的同事们用他们的设备来检测了一个以不同的方向移过他们的感应器的小棍的运动，还检测了布莱叶盲文。
What’s more, they managed to connect their artificial neuron to a biological counterpart.
更重要的是，他们还将人工神经成功对接到了一个生物配对物上。
The researchers detached a leg from a cockroach and inserted an electrode from the artificial neuron to a neuron in the roach leg; signals coming from the artificial neuron caused muscles in the leg to contract, they report today in Science.
研究员们扯掉了一只蟑螂的一条腿，然后将人工神经的一个电极插入了蟑螂的腿部的神经；来自人工神经的信号引起了蟑螂腿部肌肉的收缩，他们在今天的《科学》杂志上进行了发表。
Because organic electronics like this are inexpensive to make, the approach should allow scientists to integrate large numbers of artificial nerves that could pick up on multiple types of sensory information, Shepherd says.
因为这种有机电极制作起来并不昂贵，这种方法将可以让科学家们整合大量的可以收集多种传感信息的人工神经，谢帕德说。
Such a system could provide far more sensory information to future prosthetics wearers, helping them better control their new appendages.
这样的系统可以为将来的假肢穿戴者们提供更多的传感信息，来帮助他们更好地控制自己的假肢。
It could also give future robots a greater ability to interact with their ever-changing environments—something vital for performing complex tasks, such as caring for the elderly.
它还可以让将来的机器人拥有更好的与周围变化的环境交互的能力——这对于完成复杂的任务来说是非常重要的，比如照顾老人。
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