2019-08-19 Scientists develop artificial tongue for whisky tasting 科学家研发人造“舌头”辨假酒

英国科学家研发出可以分辨不同威士忌之间细微差别的人造“舌头”。这项技术可以用于帮助打击假酒交易。

文字稿

Engineers used sub-microscopic slides of gold and aluminium, arranged in a chequerboard pattern, to act as the tongue’s taste buds. The researchers poured whisky samples over the metals and measured how they absorb light while submerged.

工程师们把由金和铝两种金属切割制成的细微薄片，以棋盘状排列，充当舌头的味蕾。研究人员将不同的威士忌样品倒在这些金属“舌头”上，并测量它们在不同液体中吸收光线的方式。

The artificial tongue was able to tell the differences between various whiskies with an accuracy of more than 99%. It could also pick up subtle distinctions between the same whisky, aged 12, 15 or 18 years.

人造“舌头”能够分辨出各种威士忌之间的差别，准确率超过99%。它还能分辨年份分别为12年、15年或18年的同一种威士忌之间的细微差别。

Scientists at the universities of Glasgow and Strathclyde who carried out the research say it could be used to test virtually any liquid. They claim it could help to reduce the trade in counterfeit alcohol, which is sold illegally across the UK and can contain dangerous chemicals, including windscreen washer and bleach.

进行这项研究的格拉斯哥大学和斯特拉斯克莱德大学的科学家们说，人造“舌头”可被用来“品尝”任何液体。他们称，这将有助于减少假酒交易。在英国各地非法销售的假酒中可能含有危险的化学物质，包括挡风玻璃清洗液和漂白剂。

词汇

chequerboard 棋盘
taste buds 味蕾
absorb 吸收
submerged 在水中的
artificial 人工的
accuracy 准确度
subtle 细微的
counterfeit 假货
windscreen washer 挡风玻璃清洗液
bleach 漂白剂

阅读理解：请在读完上文后，回答下列问题 。

1. Which metals were used to create this artificial tongue?

2. True or false? The artificial tongue was able to tell the difference between whiskies of different ages.

3. How will this invention help the whisky industry?

4. What else could this artificial tongue be used for?

答案

1. Which metals were used to create this artificial tongue?

Engineers used sub-microscopic slides of gold and aluminium.

2. True or false? The artificial tongue was able to tell the difference between whiskies of different ages.

True. It could pick up subtle distinctions between the same whisky, aged 12, 15 or 18 years.

3. How will this invention help the whisky industry?

It could help to reduce the trade in counterfeit alcohol, which is sold illegally across the UK.

4. What else could this artificial tongue be used for?

Scientists say it could be used to test virtually any liquid.