Scientists at the Cornell University in Ithaca, New York have created small robots that can build copies of themselves. Self-replicating robots are no longer the stuff of science fiction.

　　Each robot consists of several 10 cm cubes which have identical machinery, electromagnets to attach and detach to each other and a computer program for replication. The robots can bend and pick up and stack the cubes.

　　Although the machines we have created are still simple compared with biological self-reproduction, they demonstrate that mechanical self-reproduction is possible and not unique to biology, Hod Lipson said in a report in the science journal Nature on Wednesday.

　　He and his team believe the design principle could be used to make long term, self-repairing robots that could mend themselves and be used in hazardous Scientists at the Cornell University in Ithaca, New York have created small robots that can build copies of themselves. Self-replicating robots are no longer the stuff of science fiction.

　　The experimental robots, which don''t do anything else except make copies of themselves, are powered through contacts on the surface of the table and transfer data through their faces. They self-replicate by using additional modules placed in special feeding locations.

　　The machines duplicate themselves by bending over and putting their top cube on the table. Then they bend again, pick up another cube, put it on top of the first and repeat the entire process. As the new robot begins to take shape it helps to build itself.

　　The four-module robot was able to construct a replica in 2.5 minutes by lifting and assembling cubes from the feeding locations, said Lipson.

　　一、全文翻譯

　　據路透社報道，位于紐約伊薩卡的康奈爾大學的科學家研制出能夠自我復制的小型機器人。自此，可自我復制的機器人不再是科幻小說中才會有的情節素材。

　　每個機器人都由多個10cm大小的立方體組成。這些立方體具有同一的部件、互相連接或分離的電磁石和計算機復制程序。這些機器人可以對立方體進行變形、選擇、疊加等操作。

　　“與生物學上的自我復制相比，我們所研制的機器尚非常簡單。但這證明了自我復制并不是生物學上的特有性能，機械的自我復制也是可能的。”本周三Hod Lipson在科學期刊《自然》上的一篇報告中說到。

　　他和他的研究小組相信，該設計原理可用于制造長期的可自我修復的機器人。這種機器人可以進行自我調整，可應用于危險環境下和太空飛行中。

　　這種實驗性機器人通過與工作臺表面的接觸而獲得能量，通過面部來傳遞數據。它們只進行自我復制，不進行任何其他操作。這種自我復制是由置于專門的“供給區”的附加模組實現的。一個四模組機器人在2.5分鐘內即可完成對從“供給區”選取出的立方體的重新組合，實現一次復制。

　　二、單詞解析

　　1、stuff　材料、原料

　　2、identical　同一的，完全相同的；

　　例句：She wore the identical dress on both occasions.

　　她在兩個場合穿同一套衣服。

　　3、replicate　折疊、復制

　　4、unique　唯一的，獨一無二

　　例句：The custom is unique to the region.

　　這種風俗是這一地區特有的。

　　5、hazardous　有危險的，冒險的

　　例句：That was a hazardous journey.

　　那是個危險的旅程。

　　6、duplicate （1）adj.完全一樣的，復制的；（2）v.復制，重復；

　　例句：He opened the door with a duplicate key.

　　他用一把復制的鑰匙開門。

　　All the members received duplicated notices of the meeting.

　　所有會員都接到了同樣的會議通知。

　　三、句型分析

　　The experimental robots，（which don‘t do anything else except make copies of themselves，）are powered [（through contacts on the surface of the table）and（transfer data through their faces.）]