Japan shop deploys robot to check people are wearing face masks

Japan shop deploys robot to check people are wearing face masks

日本商店部署機器人 以確認人們有戴口罩

【摘要2020.12.8.自由】◎黃靖媗

A shop in Japan has enlisted a robot to ensure customers are wearing masks, as the country prepares for a possible third wave of coronavirus infections.

日本一家商店已經招募1台機器人，以確保顧客都有戴上口罩，在該國為了可能的第3波武漢肺炎疫情做準備之際。

Robovie, developed by the Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International in Kyoto, is able to pick out customers who aren’t wearing masks and politely ask them to cover up. It can also intervene when they fail to socially distance while queuing up to pay.

由京都國際電氣通信基礎技術研究所研發的Robovie，可以找出沒有戴口罩的顧客，並且禮貌地要求他們戴上。當人們排隊結帳時未遵守社交距離，它也可以插手干預。

The trial, which began last week at the club shop of Cerezo Osaka, a professional football team, will run until at least the end of November.

這項實驗上週於大阪櫻花職業足球隊的俱樂部商店開始進行，將至少持續至11月底。

Robovie’s developers hope the experiment will reduce close contact between shoppers and staff, adding that they believe most people will feel less embarrassed by being asked to cover up by a robot than by a fellow human being.

Robovie的研發者們希望這項實驗可減少購物者與員工的近距離接觸，他們也認為，對大部分的民眾而言，由機器人要求他們戴口罩，會比由人要求更不感到尷尬。

新聞辭典

enlist：動詞，爭取（幫助）、招募。例句：The company enlisted some temporary worker to help prepare the exhibition.（公司招募了一些臨時工，協助準備這場展覽。）

intervene：動詞，干預、調停。例句：The United Nations intervenes the dispute between China and Russia.（聯合國出手干預了中國與俄羅斯的爭端。）

embarrass：動詞，尷尬、為難。例句：Those compliments make her feel embarrassed.（這些讚美讓她感到尷尬。