Andreas Raptopoulos: No roads? There's a drone for that

翻译人员: Peipei Xiang 校对人员: Denise Hu

One billion people in the world today

现今世界上有10 亿人

do not have access to all-season roads.

不能享受全年畅通的道路。

One billion people.

10 亿人。

One seventh of the Earth's population

地球人口的七分之一

are totally cut off for some part of the year.

在一年中的某些时候与外界完全隔绝。

We cannot get medicine to them reliably,

我们没办法以可靠的途径给他们提供药材，

they cannot get critical supplies,

他们没办法收取关键物资的供应，

and they cannot get their goods to market

他们也不能把自己的产品货物运到市场上去，

in order to create a sustainable income.

来创造可持续性的收入。

In sub-Saharan Africa, for instance,

以撒哈拉以南的非洲地区为例，

85 percent of roads are unusable in the wet season.

85%的道路在潮湿的季节无法通用。

Investments are being made,

虽然在这方面有得到投资，

but at the current level,

但按照目前的进展程度，，

it's estimated it's going to take them

据估计他们得需要花

50 years to catch up.

50年才能赶上标准。

In the U.S. alone, there's more than four million

仅在美国，就有超过400万

miles of roads, very expensive to build,

英里的公路，建设成本极高，

very expensive to maintain infrastructure,

基础设施维修保养费用极其昂贵，

with a huge ecological footprint,

并留下巨大的生态足迹，

and yet, very often, congested.

但同时，经常非常堵塞。

So we saw this and we thought,

看到这样的状况我们就想，

can there be a better way?

难道就没有更好的办法么？

Can we create a system using today's most advanced technologies

我们能不能创建一个系统，使用当今最先进的技术，

that can allow this part of the world to leapfrog

使这些地区获得飞跃式的发展，

in the same way they've done with mobile telephones

就好像在过去10年里， 手机给他们带来的巨大变化一样？

in the last 10 years?

就好像在过去10年里， 手机给他们带来的巨大变化一样？

Many of those nations have excellent telecommunications today

这其中的许多国家当今有着优越的无线电通讯技术，

without ever putting copper lines in the ground.

却从没在地下埋过半根铜线。

Could we do the same for transportation?

在交通方面，我们也能做到这类的发展吗？

Imagine this scenario.

想象一下这样的情境。

Imagine you are in a maternity ward in Mali,

想象你在马里的一个产房区里，

and have a newborn in need of urgent medication.

有新生儿紧切的需要药物。

What would you do today?

你会怎么做？

Well, you would place a request via mobile phone,

你会通过手机进行求助，

and someone would get the request immediately.

并且很快会有人对你的求助做出回应，

That's the part that works.

到目前为止的这部分都没问题。

The medication may take days to arrive, though,

不过，药物可能要好多天之后才能到达，

because of bad roads.

因为道路太差。

That's the part that's broken.

这一部分就是有问题的部分。

We believe we can deliver it within hours

我们认为我们现在有能力把东西在短时间内送到，

with an electric autonomous flying vehicle

依赖电动无人飞行器，

such as this.

就是像这样的飞行器。

This can transport a small payload today, about two kilograms,

它们可以载重两公斤左右的物资，

over a short distance, about 10 kilometers,

飞行约10公里的距离，

but it's part of a wider network that may cover

不过这只是一个大网络的一个小部分，

the entire country, maybe even the entire continent.

一个大网络可以覆盖整个国家、 甚至整个非洲大陆的范围。

It's an ultra-flexible, automated logistics network.

这是一个超灵活的、自动化的物流网络。

It's a network for a transportation of matter.

它是一个物质运输的网络。

We call it Matternet.

我们称之为物质网（Matternet）。

We use three key technologies.

我们使用三个关键性的技术。

The first is electric autonomous flying vehicles.

第一个是电动自主飞行器。

The second is automated ground stations

第二个是飞行器起飞和降落的自动化地面站，

that the vehicles fly in and out of

第二个是飞行器起飞和降落的自动化地面站，

to swap batteries and fly farther,

在那里它们可以更换电池以飞得更远，

or pick up or deliver loads.

或收发货物。

And the third is the operating system

第三个是用来管理整个网络操作系统。

that manages the whole network.

第三个是用来管理整个网络的操作系统。

Let's look at each one of those technologies in a bit more detail.

让我们来具体的看一下这三项技术。

First of all, the UAVs.

第一，电动自主飞行器（UAV）。

Eventually, we're going to be using all sorts of vehicles

我们最终会需要使用各种不同的飞行器，

for different payload capacities and different ranges.

来满足不同载重和距离的需要，

Today, we're using small quads.

今天，我们使用小体积的四轴飞行器。

These are able to transport two kilograms

它们可以在大约15分钟内飞行10公里， 运输两公斤的物资。

over 10 kilometers in just about 15 minutes.

它们可以在大约15分钟内飞行10公里， 运输两公斤的物资。

Compare this with trying to trespass a bad road

和下面的情况来比较， 譬如试图穿越糟糕的道路，

in the developing world,

在那些发展中的国家，

or even being stuck in traffic

或是被卡在交通严重堵塞的

in a developed world country.

发达国家。

These fly autonomously.

这些器械可以自主飞行。

This is the key to the technology.

这是该技术的关键。

So they use GPS and other sensors on board

他们使用GPS和其他的传感器

to navigate between ground stations.

在地面站之间进行导航。

Every vehicle is equipped with an automatic

每架飞行器都配备了自动的

payload and battery exchange mechanism,

有效载荷和电池交换机能，

so these vehicles navigate to those ground stations,

因此这些飞行器可以自主导航到这些地面站，

they dock, swap a battery automatically,

停靠、 自动换电池，

and go out again.

并再次飞出去。

The ground stations are located on safe locations

地面站位于地面上安全的地点。

on the ground.

地面站位于地面上安全的地点。

They secure the most vulnerable part of the mission,

它们保障这些飞行任务中最易出错的部分，

which is the landing.

即着陆的成功。

They are at known locations on the ground,

它们位于地面上众所周知的地点，

so the paths between them are also known,

所以它们相互之间的道路也是清晰的，

which is very important from a reliability perspective

这对于整个网络的可靠性来讲非常重要。

from the whole network.

这对于整个网络的可靠性来讲非常重要。

Apart from fulfilling the energy requirements of the vehicles,

地面站除了满足飞行器对能源的需求，

eventually they're going to be becoming

最终它们会成为一个商业枢纽，

commercial hubs where people can take out loads

让人们也可以在那里收发货物。

or put loads into the network.

让人们也可以在那里收发货物。

The last component is the operating system

最后的环节是用于管理整个网络的操作系统。

that manages the whole network.

最后的环节是用于管理整个网络的操作系统。

It monitors weather data from all the ground stations

它监测所有地面站的天气数据，

and optimizes the routes of the vehicles through the system

并通过系统来优化飞行器的飞行路线

to avoid adverse weather conditions,

以避免恶劣的天气条件和其他的风险因素，

avoid other risk factors,

以避免恶劣的天气条件和其他的风险因素，

and optimize the use of the resources

以及优化整个网络的资源配置和使用。

throughout the network.

以及优化整个网络的资源配置和使用。

I want to show you what one of those flights

我想给你们看一下这样的飞行是什么样的。

looks like.

我想给你们看一下这样的飞行是什么样的。

Here we are flying in Haiti last summer,

这是我们去年夏天在海地，

where we've done our first field trials.

在那里我们做了第一次的实地试验。

We're modeling here a medical delivery

我们模拟了给2010年地震后的难民营 运送医疗物资的情景，

in a camp we set up after the 2010 earthquake.

我们模拟了给2010年地震后的难民营 运送医疗物资的情景，

People there love this.

当地居民爱极了这个。

And I want to show you

我还想给大家近距离地

what one of those vehicles looks like up close.

看一下这些飞行器的样子。

So this is a $3,000 vehicle.

这是一架花费3000美金的飞行器。

Costs are coming down very rapidly.

它们的成本在迅速地下降。

We use this in all sorts of weather conditions,

我们可以在各种天气条件下使用它，

very hot and very cold climates,

很热和很冷的气候，

very strong winds. They're very sturdy vehicles.

有强风的时候。它们是非常结实的飞行器。

Imagine if your life depended on this package,

想象一下如果你的生命取决于它们运载的包裹，

somewhere in Africa

不管是在非洲的某个角落，

or in New York City, after Sandy.

还是在飓风桑迪袭击后的纽约。

The next big question is, what's the cost?

下一个重要的问题是，费用会是多少？

Well, it turns out that the cost to transport

事实上，用飞行器运输

two kilograms over 10 kilometers with this vehicle

两公斤物资飞行10公里的成本

is just 24 cents.

仅要24美分。

(Applause)

（掌声）

And it's counterintuitive, but the cost of energy

听上去很不可思议， 但其实这样一次飞行所花费的能源的费用

expended for the flight is only two cents

听上去很不可思议， 但其实这样一次飞行所花费的能源的费用

of a dollar today,

在今天只需要两美分，

and we're just at the beginning of this.

而我们现在只是在这个技术的开始。

When we saw this, we felt that this is something

当我们了解到这一点的时候，我们觉得

that can have significant impact in the world.

这是技能可以对世界给予重大的影响。

So we said, okay, how much does it cost

所以我们想， 要在某个地方建设这样一个网络到底需要多大的花费？

to set up a network somewhere in the world?

所以我们想， 要在某个地方建设这样一个网络到底需要多大的花费？

And we looked at setting up a network in Lesotho

于是我们研究了一下试着在莱索托 建设一个运输艾滋病毒样本的网络。

for transportation of HIV/AIDS samples.

于是我们研究了一下试着在莱索托 建设一个运输艾滋病毒样本的网络。

The problem there is how do you take them

在那个情况下的问题是，如何将样本

from clinics where they're being collected

从被收集的诊所处，

to hospitals where they're being analyzed?

送到做分析步骤的医院？

And we said, what if we wanted to cover an area

我们就想，如果说我们想要覆盖约140平方公里的区域如何？

spanning around 140 square kilometers?

我们就想，如果说我们想要覆盖约140平方公里的区域如何？

That's roughly one and a half times the size of Manhattan.

那大约是纽约曼哈顿区域的1.5倍。

Well it turns out that the cost to do that there

结果我们发现这只需要花费不到100万美金。

would be less than a million dollars.

结果我们发现这只需要花费不到100万美金。

Compare this to normal infrastructure investments.

拿这个跟做一般的基础设施投资来比较。

We think this can be -- this is the power

我们认为这可以成为 - 这就是一个新的模式所带来的力量。

of a new paradigm.

我们认为这可以成为 - 这就是一个新的模式所带来的力量。

So here we are: a new idea

这正是我们想要的：一个新的概念，

about a network for transportation

一个使用互联网来建立交通运输网络的新点子。

that is based on the ideas of the Internet.

一个使用互联网来建立交通运输网络的新点子。

It's decentralized, it's peer-to-peer,

它很分散，很平等，

it's bidirectional, highly adaptable,

它是双向的，适应能力强，

with very low infrastructure investment,

对基础设施投资的需求很低，

very low ecological footprint.

留下的生态足迹也很小。

If it is a new paradigm, though,

如果这是一个新的模式的话，

there must be other uses for it.

那它必然还有其他的用途。

It can be used perhaps in other places in the world.

也许它可以在世界的其他地方被使用。

So let's look at the other end of the spectrum:

所以让我们看一下社会群体的另一端：

our cities and megacities.

我们的城市和超大城市。

Half of the Earth's population lives in cities today.

今天地球上有一半的人口生活在城市里，

Half a billion of us live in megacities.

五亿人口生活在超大城市里。

We are living through an amazing urbanization trend.

我们在经历着一个惊人的城市化的潮流。

China alone is adding a megacity

光在中国，每两年就增多一个和纽约一样大的超大城市。

the size of New York City every two years.

光在中国，每两年就增多一个和纽约一样大的超大城市。

These are places that do have road infrastructure,

这些地方是有道路基础设施的，

but it's very inefficient.

但它们效率很低。

Congestion is a huge problem.

交通堵塞是一个巨大的问题。

So we think it makes sense in those places

所以我们想我们可以在这样的地方

to set up a network of transportation

建设一个交通网络，

that is a new layer that sits between the road

座落于路面和互联网之间的一个新的层次，

and the Internet,

座落于路面和互联网之间的一个新的层次，

initially for lightweight, urgent stuff,

在初期用来运输轻小，紧急的东西，

and over time, we would hope to develop this

之后将它逐渐发展成一种新方式的交通工具，

into a new mode of transportation

之后将它逐渐发展成一种新方式的交通工具，

that is truly a modern solution to a very old problem.

给一个老旧的问题提供一个完全现代化的解决方法。

It's ultimately scalable

这解决方法可以无限制的延伸，

with a very small ecological footprint,

生态足迹非常小，

operating in the background 24/7,

日夜不停止的工作，

just like the Internet.

就像互联网一样。

So when we started this

我们几年前的时候了，开始的这个项目，

a couple of years ago now,

我们几年前的时候了，开始的这个项目，

we've had a lot of people come up to us who said,

有很多人来跟我们说：

"This is a very interesting but crazy idea,

"这真是一个非常有趣，但是疯狂的想法，

and certainly not something that you should

短时间内绝对不应该开始做。”

engage with anytime soon."

短时间内绝对不应该开始做。”

And of course, we're talking about drones, right,

当然，我们是在讨论无人驾驶飞行器，

a technology that's not only unpopular in the West

它不但在西方不受欢迎，

but one that has become a very, very unpleasant

对很多生活在贫穷国家的人，

fact of life for many living in poor countries,

尤其是经历过军事冲突的国家的人来讲，

especially those engaged in conflict.

无人驾驶飞行器也不是什么好玩的东西。

So why are we doing this?

那我们为什么还要这样做？

Well, we chose to do this one

我们之所以选择这样做

not because it's easy,

不是因为它容易，

but because it can have amazing impact.

而是因为它可以改变世界的能力。

Imagine one billion people being connected

想象一下10亿人，物质上的 和各种东西连接在一起，

to physical goods in the same way

就像手机将他们跟信息连接在一起一样。

that mobile telecommunications connected them

就像手机将他们跟信息连接在一起一样。

to information.

就像手机将他们跟信息连接在一起一样。

Imagine if the next big network we built in the world

想象一下如果我们在这个世界上建设的下一个网络

was a network for the transportation of matter.

是一个物质的运输网络。

In the developing world, we would hope

在发展中国家，我们可以 将更好的疫苗送到数百万人的手里，

to reach millions of people with better vaccines,

在发展中国家，我们可以 将更好的疫苗送到数百万人的手里，

reach them with better medication.

提供他们更好的药物。

It would give us an unfair advantage against battling

它给我们提供了一个强大的 战胜艾滋病、 结核病和其他流行病的优势。

HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and other epidemics.

它给我们提供了一个强大的 战胜艾滋病、 结核病和其他流行病的优势。

Over time, we would hope it would become

随着时间的推移，我们希望它会成为

a new platform for economic transactions,

一个新的经济交易平台，

lifting millions of people out of poverty.

帮助数百万人脱离贫困。

In the developed world and the emerging world,

在发达国家和新兴世界，

we would hope it would become a new mode

我们希望它会成为一种新的交通工具，

of transportation that could help make our cities

让我们的城市居住起来更舒适。

more livable.

让我们的城市居住起来更舒适。

So for those that still believe that this is science fiction,

对于那些仍然觉得这是科幻小说的人，

I firmly say to you that it is not.

我可以明确的告诉你，它不是。

We do need to engage, though,

当然，我们仍然需要努力，

in social fiction to make it happen.

让它在”现实小说“中发生。

Thank you.

谢谢。

(Applause)

（掌声）