quarta-feira, 30 de abril de 2014

62. High Tech Aids Search and Rescue


From VOA Learning English, this is "As It Is" Saturday.  I’m Anna Matteo.

Improvements1 in technology can save lives2Stronger buildings3 do not fall4 during storms5 and earthquakes6Warning7 systems let people know8 when tornados or tsunamis are coming.  Air travel is safer9 because of10 changes in airplane technology.

But even with11 all of these improvements, disasters, both12 natural and man-made13, will happen.  And when they do, finding victims quickly14 helps save lives.

On the show today, we tell about the radar technology that is searching for15 the lost Malaysian Aircraft 370. But first, a report on a search-and-rescue tool16 that is helping emergency workers find victims and recover17 bodies. 

When a building collapses18, every minute is important for victims buried under the wreckage19That is why20 two American government agencies teamed up21 to develop22 a high-tech23 tool to find those who are trapped24. The Department of Homeland Security25 and NASA, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, took part26 in the project.               

Rescue crews27 have been testing this state-of-the-art28 radar tool called FINDER. The name is short for29 Finding Individuals for Disaster and Emergency Response.

This radar device30 can recognize31 a person's smallest32 movements or even a heartbeat33, even when the individual is unable34 to communicate.

A rescue worker at the mudslide35 that hit36 Washington state on March 22, 2014.
Earlier this year, Homeland Security and rescuers used FINDER to carry out37 more than 65 test searches in the American state of Virginia. They say the tests proved successful38 in recognizing a human heartbeat under nine meters of mixed39 concrete and other material. The device was also40 able to identify41 a heartbeat hidden behind42 six meters of solid concrete, and from a distance of up to43 30 meters in open space.

Jim Lux is with the Jet Propulsion44 Laboratory in California. “FINDER works by sending a low-power45 microwave signal46, and it illuminates the rubble pile47, and some of the microwaves go in48 and reflect off the victim inside and come back out49.

So FINDER sees both the reflection from the rubble, which doesn’t move, and a very tiny50 reflection from the victim, which does move, because when you breathe51 and when your heart beats, your skin52 moves a little bit53 and we can see that.” 

Jim Lux says the device is small, easy to carry and easy to use. “It goes out and collects 30-seconds' worth of data54, because that is how long55 you need to get the heartbeat and the breathing, and then it analyzes it and displays56 it for the user57.”

FINDER could be used with other tools rescuers58 use, such as59 listening devices or search dogs. Matthew Tamillow is with Virginia Task Force 1. He says the new technology could help rescuers in deciding which buildings to search.


“This type of technology, including FINDER, could aid in the assistance of triaging60 a building to say, ‘Okay, there is a strong probability that a live victim could be in here, and we need to devote our valuable61 human resources62 into searching it.’“

VOCABULARY

1. improvements = melhorias
2. can save lives = pode salvar vidas
3. Stronger buildings = prédios mais fortes
4. fall = cair
5. storms = tempestades
6. earthquakes = terremotos
7. Warning = alerta
8. let people know = avisam as pessoas
9. safer = mais seguro
10. because of = por causa de
11. even with = até mesmo com
12. both = ambos (tanto quanto)
13. man-made = feito pelo homem
14. finding victims quickly = encontrar vitimas rapidamente
15. searching for = procurando por
16. search-and-rescue tool = ferramenta de busca e resgate
17. recover = recuperar
18. collapses = desaba
19. buried under the wreckage = enterrado sob os destroços
20. That is why = é porisso que
21. teamed up = formaram uma equipe
22. develop = desenvolver
23. high-tech = alta tecnologia (tecnologia de ponta)
24. trapped = preso(a)
25. Homeland Security = segurança interna
26. took part = participou
27. Rescue crews = equipes de resgate
28. state-of-the-art = da mais alta tecnologia
29. short for = abreviação para
30. device = dispositivo
31. recognize = reconhecer
32. smallest = o menor (superlativo)
33. heartbeat = batimento cardiaco
34. unable = incapaz
35. mudslide = deslizamento de terra
36. hit = atingiu
37. carry out = realizar
38. successful = bem sucedido
39. mixed = misturado
40. also = também
41. identify = identificar
42. hidden behind = escondido atrás de
43. up to = até
44. Jet Propulsion = propulsão a jato
45. low-power = de baixa potência
46. microwave signal= sinal de micro ondas
47. rubble pile = pilha de escombros
48. go in = entram
49. come back out
50. tiny = minúsculo(a)
51. breathe = respirar
52. skin = pele
53. a little bit = um pouquinho
54. worth of data = no valor de dados
55. how long = quanto tempo
56. displays = mostra
57. user = usuário
58. rescuers = socorristas
59. such as = tais como
60. triaging = triagem
61. valuable = valioso
62. human resources = recursos humanos