7.The Technological Singularity7.技术奇点Artificial intelligence (AI) has come a long way since computers first made the scene. Yet were not at the edge of a dystopian society in which the machines run amok and humankind fights for its survival. At least, not yet.人工智能（artificial intelligence，简写：AI）在电脑问世后获得了相当大的成就。然而我们并不是生活在鼓吹乌托邦社会，还不必须为存活而对付捉阴沉回头的机器。

最少，现在还不必。In 1993, Vernor Vinge, a math professor at San Diego State University, proposed what he called the singularity -- a time at which computer networks may become self-aware through advanced AI, and interfaces between people and computers help humankind evolve. Biological advancements may become so sophisticated that doctors can even engineer human intelligence. There is a possibility, however, that AI might allow machines to take over the world. Theres no guarantee that such a scenario will really happen, and technological limitations may prevent it. Still, the idea that machines might someday decide were irrelevant and arrange for our destruction is more than a little creepy.1993年，圣地亚哥州立大学（San Diego State University）的数学教授，弗诺·文奇（Vernor Vinge）明确提出了技术奇点（singularity）的概念——在未来，计算机网络通过先进设备的人工智能取得了意识，并可以与人类必要相连来协助其演化。生物学的变革如此仪器，先进设备到医生就可以对人的智力展开改建。

不过，人工智能的发展也使机器占领世界沦为可能性。我们无法确认这些事情以后否不会再次发生，但继续以我们的技术水平还无法构建。不过，或许有一天，机器有可能实在人类没利用价值就毁坏我们，看看就不寒而栗。

6.Google Glass6.谷歌眼镜Google Glass, the high-tech specs with a built-in camera and pop-up display, turns the idea of Big Brother on its head. Maybe the surveillance menace of the future wont be a fascist regime with spy cameras on every corner, but rather an army of geeks recording every waking moment of their lives with a nod of the head and the wink of an eye.谷歌眼镜是一款高科技眼镜，配备了一台嵌入式摄像头和一个（坐落于镜框右侧的长条状的）电脑处理器装置。它比日本兄弟公司更加早于发售了（高科技眼镜）这个产品。或许在未来被监控的威胁并不是来自于专制政府的间谍照相机，而是来自于一群极客们，在他们平时行驶的过程中，点点头和眨下眼睛就可以获取信息了。

Aside from the inherent dorkiness of Glass, privacy is the biggest concern with the search giants latest foray into world domination. Whats to stop a Glasshead from turning on his camera in the subway, the doctors office or the gym locker room? Several U.S. casinos, bars and movie theaters have already banned Glass. Google says that Glass isnt that creepy. For example, a small light indicates when video is being recorded and Glass wearers have to look at a subject and wink to take a picture. Yeah, thats not creepy at all.除眼镜自身的一些缺点外，泄漏隐私是搜寻巨头谷歌强占世界市场、沦为霸主的仅次于忧虑。如何制止眼镜使用者在地铁、医生办公室或健身房更衣室用于摄像头？在美国的一些赌场，酒吧和电影院早已明令禁止用于谷歌眼镜。

谷歌则回应，谷歌眼镜并不是那么可怕，比如，在眼镜视频时会有一个小灯提醒，配戴者必需看向一个物体并且眨眼才需要照片。是啊，这怎么会还过于可怕么？Another scary prospect is the combination of Glass, social media and facial recognition technology. Some app developers are excited about the prospect of a Glass app that can recognize a strangers face and pull up information about the person scoured from their Facebook and LinkedIn pages. While Google rejects the idea of facial recognition on Glass, the company has patented eye-tracking technology that would record what ads you look at in the real world and charge fees to advertisers on a pay-per-gaze basis.谷歌眼镜另一个令人担忧的性能是，眼镜可以与社会媒体和面部辨识技术相结合。一些应用软件的开发者们伤心的预计，通过制作一款谷歌眼镜软件，就可以在辨识陌生人的脸之后，从脸书和领英这类社交软件上提供个人信息。

虽然谷歌驳斥了这种通过眼镜展开面部辨识的理念，公司却早已登记了眼球跟踪技术的专利，可以记录用户在生活中看了什么广告，并且向广告商按身旁缴纳费用。While were on the subject of scary surveillance, lets take to the skies.如果生活中四处都是监控，我们不能飞上蓝天了。

5.Drones5.无人驾驶飞机A CIA operator in Virginia can fly a near-silent Predator drone through the night sky of Pakistan, locate his target on a video screen and rain down Hellfire missiles from the comfort of his cubicle. While counterterrorism officials and the White House defend unmanned drones as a cleaner alternative to military action, the use of drones raises important questions about government-sanctioned assassination and the inevitable deaths of innocent civilians.弗吉尼亚州，美国中央情报局的指挥官人员可以难受的躺在控制室小隔间里，指挥官几近寂静的“捕食者”无人机穿越夜空飞到巴基斯坦，通过荧光屏掌控飞机迫降到登录方位，指挥官其升空大量地狱火导弹。尽管美国白宫和缉毒官员都坚称无人机只是用来”铲除障碍”而不是军事行动，但是无人机的用于还是产生了一些最重要问题，像政府批准后的刺杀和不可避免的无辜平民的丧生。As scary as military drones are, people are truly creeped out by the prospect of domestic spy drones. In 2012, the U.S. Congress passed a bill allowing the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to draw up rules for the use of commercial and police drones in U.S. airspace. And New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg commented that the presence of drones hovering over American cities was inevitable. Law enforcement is buzzed over the idea of trailing suspects from the skies, but privacy advocates worry that its a small step from targeted surveillance to indiscriminate 24/7 spying on everyone.和军用无人机一样可怕的是，人们对国内无人侦察机的用于前景深感十分不安。在2012年，美国国会（U.S.Congress）通过法案，容许联邦航空管理局（FAA）草拟商用和警用无人机在美国领空的用于法规。

纽约市市长迈克尔·布隆伯格（Michael Bloomberg）评论道，无人机在美国城市海面飞过的景象是“不可避免的”。执法人员部门想要利用这项技术从空中搜寻嫌疑人，但隐私权益的倡导者则担忧，这样做离对所有人展开无差别的全年平日监控仅有一步之遥。For a totally different kind of creepy, lets look at the desktop technology that promises to revolutionize manufacturing if it doesnt get outlawed first.接下来再行让我们将眼光投向桌面上的技术，虽然与无人机技术迥然不同，但某种程度令人毛骨悚然。

这项科技允诺将革新制造业，但很有可能在那之前它就已触犯了法律的底线。4.3D Printers4.3D打印机The MakerBot Replicator 2 offers the remarkable ability to print out a 3-D plastic model of just about anything you can imagine: a childs toy, a gear for a wind turbine, or a perfectly rendered model of your own butt. Desktop 3-D printing is undoubtedly a great leap forward for small-scale manufacturing, but its also a potential boon for thieves and low-budget terrorists.3D打印机MakerBot Replicator 2的神秘之处就在于它需要打印机出有任何你能想起的塑胶模型，例如儿童玩具、风力涡轮机的齿轮、或是与你自己的臀部极致契合的臀模。3D打印机技术毫无疑问是小型制造业的众多突破，但是，同时这也给骗子和没过于多支出的恐怖分子带给可趁之机。

In 2011, an enterprising gang of crooks used a 3-D printer to replicate the plastic front of an ATM terminal. By placing their fake terminal on top of a real cash machine, they were able to skim unsuspecting victims ATM cards and steal more than $400,000 from their accounts.2011年，一个居心不良的犯罪团伙利用3D打印机仿造了ATM终端机正面的塑料部分。他们把假终端放置在提现机的真终端上面，轻而易举的加载了没什么牵制的受害者的信用卡信息，最后盗取了40余万美元。

But the real scary prospect is terrorists or fringe groups using 3-D printers to build guns, bombs and other weapons with nothing more than downloadable files. In 2013, a University of Texas law student Cody Wilson announced the creation of the Liberator, a fully functional .380 caliber handgun made entirely on a 3-D printer. The fact that it was plastic raised the fright factor, since it could conceivably elude metal detectors. Wilson summed up the threat nicely to Forbes magazine: Anywhere theres a computer and an Internet connection, there would be the promise of a gun.更加可怕的是，只要享有可iTunes的文件资料，恐怖分子和边缘群体就能利用3D打印机生产出有枪支、炸弹等武器。2013年，德克萨斯州的一名法学系大学生科迪·威尔森（Cody Wilson）公布了他的作品“解放者”，这是一款几乎靠3D打印机技术做成的功能齐全的380口径手枪。这把手枪的塑料材质正是令人不安的原因——它能精彩逃过金属探测仪的搜查。

威尔森在福布斯杂志上很好地概括了这项技术的可怕之处：“只要有一台能联网的电脑，就能生产出有枪支。”Thanks, Cody! While were on the topic of really great ideas with potentially horrible consequences, lets talk driverless cars.感激科迪！谈及这些绝妙发明者的可怕潜在威胁，又怎能不说道到无人驾驶汽车呢。

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