Regina Dugan: From mach-20 glider to hummingbird drone

譯者: Barry Hu 審譯者: Jefferson Wang

You should be nice

你們應該對書獃子們

to nerds.

友善一些。

In fact, I'd go so far as to say,

事實上，我想說的是

if you don't already have a nerd in your life,

如果你還不認識這樣的人，

you should get one.

你該想辦法去認識一個。

I'm just saying.

我只是說說。

Scientists and engineers

科學家和工程師們

change the world.

能改變這個世界。

I'd like to tell you

我想為各位介紹一個非常神奇的單位，

about a magical place called DARPA

它叫做 DARPA (美國國防高等研究計劃署)。

where scientists and engineers

在那裡，科學家和工程師們

defy the impossible

挑戰那些「不可能」

and refuse to fear failure.

並且拒絕害怕「失敗」。

Now these two ideas

這兩個概念的關連性

are connected more than you may realize,

遠比你所想的還要大，

because when you remove the fear of failure,

因為當你不再害怕失敗的時候，

impossible things

那些不可能的事情

suddenly become possible.

突然就變得有可能了。

If you want to know how,

假如你想這怎麼可能

ask yourself this question:

那麼問自己這個問題：

What would you attempt to do

如果你知道你不可能會失敗，

if you knew you could not fail?

你會嘗試去做什麼?

If you really ask yourself

如果你認真的

this question,

問自己這個問題，

you can't help but feel uncomfortable.

你一定會覺得很不自在

I feel a little uncomfortable.

我就覺得有點不很自在。

Because when you ask it,

因為當你問了這個問題，

you begin to understand

你就開始了解到

how the fear of failure constrains you,

「害怕失敗」像個緊箍咒緊緊束縛我們，

how it keeps us

我們因為害怕失敗

from attempting great things,

不敢去追求美好的事情，

and life gets dull,

而生命從此無趣，

amazing things stop happening.

不再有美妙的事情發生。

Sure, good things happen,

當然，好事總會有，

but amazing things

但好的不得了的事

stop happening.

卻不再發生。

Now I should be clear,

讓我說得更清楚些，

I'm not encouraging failure,

我並不鼓勵失敗，

I'm discouraging

而是不鼓勵

fear of failure.

對失敗的恐懼、害怕。

Because it's not failure itself

因為失敗本身

that constrains us.

不會束縛我們。

The path to truly new,

在達成真正創新、

never-been-done-before things

從未有人做過的事情的路途上，

always has failure along the way.

總要經歷無數次的失敗。

We're tested.

這是一種考驗。

And in part, that testing feels an appropriate part

且在某種程度上來說，這種考驗

of achieving something great.

可以說是要獲得成功的旅途中的一部份。

Clemenceau said,

克來門梭 (Clemenceau) 曾說：

"Life gets interesting when we fail,

「失敗讓生命變得有趣，

because it's a sign

因為這代表

that we've surpassed ourselves."

我們已超越自我。」

In 1895,

1895年，

Lord Kelvin declared

凱爾文爵士 (Lord Kelvin) 宣稱

that heavier-than-air flying machines

比空氣重的飛行器

were impossible.

是不可能存在的。

In October of 1903,

在1903 年10月，

the prevailing opinion

空氣動力學的專家們

of expert aerodynamicists

都認為

was that maybe in 10 million years

也許在 1 千萬年後

we could build an aircraft that would fly.

人類才可能做出真正可以飛的飛行器。

And two months later on December 17th,

但在 2 個月後的 12 月 17 日，

Orville Wright powered the first airplane

歐維爾‧萊特 (Orville Wright) 駕駛第一架飛機

across a beach in North Carolina.

飛越北卡羅來那州 (North Carolina) 的一個海灘。

The flight lasted 12 seconds

那趟航程只維持了12 秒，

and covered 120 feet.

總里程 120 英尺。

That was 1903.

當時是 1903 年。

One year later,

一年後，

the next declarations of impossibilities began.

人們又點名了一堆不可能的事。

Ferdinand Foch, a French army general

佛迪南‧佛許 (Ferdinand Foch)，一名在法國軍中

credited with having one of the most original and subtle minds

被大家譽為軍中最有創意

in the French army,

且思考細膩的法國將軍，

said, "Airplanes are interesting toys,

他說：「飛機是很有趣的玩具，

but of no military value."

但沒有軍事價值。」

40 years later,

40 年後，

aero experts coined the term transonic.

飛航專家創造了「跨音速」 (transonic) 一詞。

They debated, should it have one S or two?

他們還爭論，這個詞該有一個 s 還是兩個 s ?

You see, they were having trouble in this flight regime,

當時飛行界

and it wasn't at all clear

對超音速飛行可不可能

that we could fly faster than the speed of sound.

一點把握都沒有

In 1947,

1947 年

there was no wind tunnel data

所有在風洞的實驗

beyond Mach 0.85.

從未超過 0.85 馬赫 (音速的 0.85 倍)

And yet,

然而

on Tuesday, October 14th, 1947,

1947 年 10 月 14 日，星期二

Chuck Yeager climbed into the cockpit

巧克‧葉格 (Chuck Yeager) 登上

of his Bell X-1

一架貝爾 X-1 (Bell X-1) 型飛機的駕駛艙，

and he flew

他飛向「可能」，

towards an unknown possibility,

一個從未發生過的「可能」，

and in so doing,

而這次飛行任務

he became the first pilot

讓他成為歷史上

to fly faster than the speed of sound.

第一個以超音速飛行的人。

Six of eight Atlas rockets

雅特拉司火箭 (Atlas rockets)，在發射的 8 枚中

blew up on the pad.

6 枚在發射台就炸毀了。

After 11 complete mission failures,

11 次完全失敗的任務之後

we got our first images from space.

我們終於成功的自太空，地球的空拍圖。

And on that first flight

在那第一次的成功任務中

we got more data

所獲得的資料

than in all U-2 missions combined.

比所有 U-2 偵察機任務所得資料總和還多。

It took a lot of failures

經過許多的失敗

to get there.

才得成功。

Since we took to the sky,

自人類飛上天空以來，

we have wanted to fly

我們一直都想

faster and farther.

要飛得更快、飛得更遠。

And to do so,

要做到，

we've had to believe in impossible things.

我們就得相信沒什麼是不可能的。

And we've had to refuse

我們也必須拒斥

to fear failure.

「害怕失敗」這件事。

That's still true today.

這一點至今亦然。

Today, we don't talk about flying transonically,

今天，我們已經不談跨入音速飛行

or even supersonically,

或超音速飛行

we talk about flying hypersonically --

我們談「超高音速」飛行

not Mach 2 or Mach 3, Mach 20.

不是 2 馬赫、3 馬赫，而是 20 馬赫。

At Mach 20,

20 馬赫

we can fly from New York to Long Beach

從紐約 (New York) 飛到長灘 (Long Beach)

in 11 minutes and 20 seconds.

只要 11 分鐘 20 秒。

At that speed,

這種速度下

the surface of the airfoil

機翼表面的溫度

is the temperature of molten steel --

可以融化鋼鐵 --

3,500 degrees Fahrenheit --

華氏 3500 度 (攝氏 1927 度) --

like a blast furnace.

跟煉鋼鼓風爐內的溫度一樣。

We are essentially burning the airfoil

我們根本就是在一邊飛

as we fly it.

一邊焚燒著機翼。

And we are flying it,

但我們就是要飛這麼快

or trying to.

或者試著要要飛這麼快。

DARPA's hypersonic test vehicle

DARPA 的超高音速測試機

is the fastest maneuvering aircraft

是有史以來建造可操控型飛機

ever built.

最快的。

It's boosted to near-space

架設在一枚 彌樂陀 4 號火箭 (Minotaur IV) 上

atop a Minotaur IV rocket.

推進到近太空。

Now the Minotaur IV has too much impulse,

因為彌樂陀 4 號火箭 (Minotaur IV) 推進力太大

so we have to bleed it off

我們必須耗掉一些推進力，

by flying the rocket

所以火箭升空後

at an 89 degree angle of attack

有一部份的飛行軌道

for portions of the trajectory.

必須呈 89 度角。

That's an unnatural act

對火箭來說

for a rocket.

這是個不自然的角度。

The third stage has a camera.

火箭的第三節配有攝影機。

We call it rocketcam.

「火箭上攝影機」

And it's pointed

攝影機對著

at the hypersonic glider.

超高音速滑翔器。

This is the actual rocketcam footage

這是第一次試飛時

from flight one.

火箭上攝影機實際拍到的影片。

Now to conceal the shape, we changed the aspect ratio a little bit.

影片裡的飛行器長寬比例修改過以隱藏真正形狀。

But this is what it looks like

但這是自

from the third stage of the rocket

第三節火箭上

looking at the unmanned glider

看到的無人駕駛滑翔器

as it heads into the atmosphere

飛進大氣層

back towards Earth.

重返地球的影象。

We've flown twice.

我們試飛了兩次。

In the first flight,

第一次飛行

no aerodynamic control of the vehicle.

滑翔器不受控制，自由滑行。

But we collected more hypersonic flight data

但我們依舊蒐集了很多超高音速飛行資料，

than in 30 years

遠多於 30 年來

of ground-based testing combined.

在地面測試所得資料的總量。

And in the second flight,

第二次試飛時

three minutes of fully-controlled,

有三分鐘完全受到我們控制，

aerodynamic flight

在 20 馬赫高速下

at Mach 20.

受空氣動力控制的飛行。

We must fly again,

我們一定還要再次飛行，

because amazing, never-been-done-before things

因為，要達成神奇又前所未有的事

require that you fly.

你就得再次飛行。

You can't learn to fly at Mach 20

要學怎麼在 20 馬赫高速下飛行

unless you fly.

你就得實際以 20 馬赫飛行。

And while there's no substitute for speed,

固然速度無可取代，

maneuverability is a very close second.

而操控性的重要性僅次於速度。

If a Mach 20 glider takes 11 minutes and 20 seconds

在 20 馬赫下 要 11 分 20 秒

to get from New York to Long Beach,

才能從紐約飛到長灘，

a hummingbird would take,

一隻蜂鳥要飛上

well, days.

嗯... 好幾天才飛的到。

You see, hummingbirds are not hypersonic,

當然，蜂鳥不能以超高音速飛行，

but they are maneuverable.

但他們的操控性很高。

In fact, the hummingbird is the only bird

事實上，蜂鳥是唯一能

that can fly backwards.

倒退飛的鳥。

It can fly up, down,

牠能直上 也能直下，

forwards, backwards,

能向前 也能倒退，

even upside-down.

甚至上下翻轉飛行也可以。

And so if we wanted to fly in this room

所以如果我們要在這個廳內

or places where humans can't go,

或是人類不能涉足的地方飛行，

we'd need an aircraft

我們就需要

small enough and maneuverable enough

夠小又好操控的飛行器

to do so.

才做得到。

This is a hummingbird drone.

這是個蜂鳥飛行器。

It can fly in all directions,

它可以以任意方向飛行，

even backwards.

甚至倒退飛。

It can hover and rotate.

既可盤旋也可旋轉。

This prototype aircraft

這架原型機

is equipped with a video camera.

配有攝影機。

It weighs less than one AA battery.

總重比一個 3 號 (AA) 電池還輕。

It does not eat nectar.

這玩意不吃花蜜。

In 2008,

在 2008 年

it flew for a whopping 20 seconds,

它飛了整整 20 秒。

a year later, two minutes,

1 年後，2 分鐘

then six,

然後，6 分鐘

eventually 11.

最後，11 分鐘。

Many prototypes crashed -- many.

許多原型墜毀了-- 許多。

But there's no way

但我們無法學

to learn to fly like a hummingbird

像蜂鳥一樣飛，

unless you fly.

除非你實際去飛。

(Applause)

(掌聲)

It's beautiful, isn't it.

真美，不是嗎?

Wow.

哇!

It's great.

真棒。

Matt is the first ever hummingbird pilot.

麥特 (Matt) 是史上第一位蜂鳥飛行員。

(Applause)

(掌聲)

Failure is part of creating

創造新的、美妙的東西

new and amazing things.

一定會經歷失敗。

We cannot both fear failure

我們不可能一邊害怕失敗

and make amazing new things --

一邊還能做出美妙的新事物 --

like a robot

像這個機器人

with the stability of a dog on rough terrain,

能像狗一般在崎嶇地面上自由行動，

or maybe even ice;

冰地上也不是問題；

a robot that can run like a cheetah,

一個跑得像獵豹的機器人

or climb stairs like a human

或是像人一樣能爬樓梯的機器人

with the occasional clumsiness of a human.

有時也會像人一樣笨拙蹣跚。

Or perhaps, Spider Man

也許，哪天蜘蛛人

will one day be Gecko Man.

會被壁虎人取代。

A gecko can support

壁虎

its entire body weight

只靠一隻腳趾

with one toe.

就可以支撐全身重量。

One square millimeter of a gecko's footpad

壁虎腳底，每一平方厘米 (cm^2)

has 14,000 hair-like structures

有 14,000 個像毛髮的結構

called setae.

叫 「硬纖毛」

They are used to help it grip to surfaces

壁虎靠他們抓住物體表面，

using intermolecular forces.

靠的是「分子間作用力」。

Today we can manufacture structures

如今我們已經可以製造這種結構了，

that mimic the hairs of a gecko's foot.

模仿壁虎腳上的纖毛。

The result,

結果是，

a four-by-four-inch

一塊 4 吋見方 (4x4 inch) 的

artificial nano-gecko adhesive.

人造毫米壁虎膠，

can support a static load

可以支撐

of 660 pounds.

300 公斤 (660磅) 靜態重量。

That's enough to stick

足以把 6 個 42 吋的電漿電視

six 42-inch plasma TV's to your wall,

掛在牆上，

no nails.

不用釘子。

So much for Velcro, right?

誰還用魔鬼沾呀，不是嗎?

And it's not just passive structures,

不只是被動結構而已，

it's entire machines.

還可以製造一整個微型機器。

This is a spider mite.

這是蜘蛛塵蟎。

It's one millimeter long,

身長只有一釐米，

but it looks like Godzilla

但在這些微型機器旁

next to these micromachines.

看來就像酷斯拉一樣巨大。

In the world of Godzilla spider mites,

在這種巨大的蜘蛛塵蟎世界裡

we can make millions of mirrors,

我們可以製造百萬個鏡片，

each one-fifth the diameter

每個鏡片直徑

of a human hair,

只有人類頭髮直徑的 1/5，

moving at hundreds of thousands of times per second

這些鏡片每秒可開關數十萬次

to make large screen displays,

可以用來製造大電視螢幕，

so that we can watch movies like "Godzilla"

讓我們可以用它們來看

in high-def.

高解析度的酷斯拉電影。

And if we can build machines

假如我們可以製造

at that scale,

這麼微型的機器

what about Eiffel Tower-like trusses

那能不能建構出 微型桁架

at the microscale?

結構像艾非爾鐵塔一樣?

Today we are making metals

我們現在已經能生產

that are lighter than Styrofoam,

比保力龍還輕的金屬，

so light

輕到

they can sit atop a dandelion puff

可以放在蒲公英花上，

and be blown away

一點微風

with a wisp of air --

就可以吹走它 --

so light

輕到

that you can make a car that two people can lift,

你用這些金屬可以造出兩個人就可以搬動的車子，

but so strong

但結構堅硬

that it has the crash-worthiness of an SUV.

像休旅車一樣耐撞。

From the smallest wisp of air

從輕輕一口氣

to the powerful forces of nature's storms.

到自然界強烈的暴風。

There are 44 lightning strikes per second

每秒有 44 次閃電

around the globe.

發生在整個地球上。

Each lightning bolt heats the air

每道閃電可以把周邊的空氣

to 44,000 degrees Fahrenheit --

燃燒到華氏 44,000 度 (攝氏 24427 度) 高溫 --

hotter than the surface of the Sun.

比太陽表面還熱。

What if we could use

假如我們可以運用

these electromagnetic pulses

這些電磁脈衝

as beacons,

當作一種導引訊號，

beacons in a moving network

在一個一直移動的

of powerful transmitters?

強力發射器網路中的導引訊號呢?

Experiments suggest

種種實驗顯示出

that lightning could be the next GPS.

閃電有可能成為下一代的衛星導航系統 (GPS)。

Electrical pulses form the thoughts in our brains.

我們腦袋中的不斷流動的電流反映人類的思考。

Using a grid the size of your thumb,

在拇指般大的電網

with 32 electrodes

配上 32 個電極

on the surface of his brain,

連結到他的大腦表面，

Tim uses his thoughts

提姆 (Tim) 用想法

to control an advanced prosthetic arm.

控制一個精密的人造手臂。

And his thoughts

他用思考

made him reach for Katie.

指揮手臂去觸碰凱蒂。

This is the first time

這是第一次

a human has controlled a robot

有人能只用思考

with thought alone.

來控制一個機器裝置。

And it is the first time

這是第一次

that Tim has held Katie's hand

七年來提姆 (Tim) 第一次

in seven years.

牽起凱蒂 (Katie) 的手。

That moment mattered

這一刻對提姆 (Tim) 和凱蒂 (Katie)

to Tim and Katie,

非常珍貴，

and this green goo

接下來的綠色膏狀物

may someday matter to you.

有一天也可能變得很珍貴。

This green goo

這個綠綠的膏

is perhaps the vaccine that could save your life.

將來有可能被製成救命的疫苗。

It was made in tobacco plants.

這是在煙草上做出來的。

Tobacco plants

煙草

can make millions of doses of vaccine

可以用來生產數以百萬計的疫苗，

in weeks instead of months,

這只要幾個星期而不是幾個月，

and it might just be

而這可能是煙草

the first healthy use of tobacco ever.

第一次用在有益健康的用途上。

And if it seems far-fetched

如果你很難接受

that tobacco plants could make people healthy,

煙草可以有益人類健康 這件事，

what about gamers that could solve problems

那麼來看看遊戲玩家

that experts can't solve?

解決專家們解決不了的問題吧。

Last September,

去年九月

the gamers of Foldit

玩佛地特 (Foldit) 遊戲的玩家們

solved the three-dimensional structure

解開了一個反轉錄病毒蛋白的

of the retroviral protease

3D 立體結構，

that contributes to AIDS in rhesus monkeys.

這個病毒是造成彌猴染上愛滋病的原因。

Now understanding this structure

要開發治療法必須

is very important for developing treatments.

對了這個病毒的結構有完整的了解。

For 15 years,

15 年來

it was unsolved

科學家們

in the scientific community.

一直都解不出這些病毒的結構。

The gamers of Foldit

佛地特 (Foldit) 的玩家們

solved it in 15 days.

只花 15 天就解開了。

Now they were able to do so

他們的成功

by working together.

來自他們通力合作。

They were able to work together

他們能合作，

because they're connected by the Internet.

因為他們在網際網路上連在一起。

And others, also connected to the Internet,

其他連結在網際網路上的人

used it as an instrument of democracy.

讓網際網路成為民主的工具。

And together

他們的合作

they changed the fate of their nation.

改變了他們國家的命運。

The Internet is home to two billion people,

網際網路連結了 20 億人口，

or 30 percent of the world's population.

是全世界人口的 30%。

It allows us to contribute

網路讓我們

and to be heard

可以以個人身份發聲

as individuals.

並讓別人聽到我們的聲音。

It allows us to amplify

網路讓我們可以結合為群體，

our voices and our power

放大我們的聲音

as a group.

以及我們的力量。

But it too had humble beginnings.

但網路一開始也沒這麼聲勢浩大。

In 1969, the internet was but a dream,

1969 年時，網際網路還只是個夢，

a few sketches on a piece of paper.

在一張紙上的簡單草圖。

And then on October 29th,

該年的 10 月 29 日

the first packet-switched message was sent

第一次以封包交換方式傳送訊息，

from UCLA to SRI.

從 UCLA 傳送到 SRI。

The first two letters of the word "Login,"

傳了 "Login" (登入) 這個字，

that's all that made it through --

只有頭兩個字母傳送成功 --

an L and an O --

L 和 O --

and then a buffer overflow crashed the system.

然後系統就因緩衝區溢位而當機了。

(Laughter)

(笑聲)

Two letters,

兩個字母，

an L and an O,

L 和 O，

now a worldwide force.

現在卻成了全世界的一鼓力量。

So who are these scientists and engineers

到底那些在 DARPA 這個神奇的地方工作的

at a magical place called DARPA?

科學家和工程師是什麼人?

They are nerds,

他們都是書獃子，

and they are heroes among us.

但他們也是我們當中的英雄。

They challenge existing perspectives

他們研究最尖端的科學，

at the edges of science

在最艱苦的情況下

and under the most demanding of conditions.

挑戰大家的想法。

They remind us

他們提醒我們

that we can change the world

我們可以改變世界，

if we defy the impossible

只要我們不對不可能低頭

and we refuse to fear failure.

並且拒絕害怕失敗。

They remind us

他們提醒我們

that we all have nerd power.

我們都有這種書獃子的能力。

Sometimes we just forget.

有的時候我們只是忘掉了。

You see, there was a time

曾經，

when you weren't afraid of failure,

你也不怕失敗，

when you were a great artist or a great dancer

你是個偉大的藝術家、偉大的舞者，

and you could sing, you were good at math,

你會唱歌、你擅長數學，

you could build things, you were an astronaut,

你會蓋東西、你是個太空人，

an adventurer, Jacques Cousteau,

你是冒險家、你是賈克‧庫斯媮 (Jacques Cousteau, 名探險家)，

you could jump higher, run faster,

你比任何人跳得都高、跑得更快、

kick harder than anyone.

踢得更有力。

You believed in impossible things

你相信沒有不可能的事情

and you were fearless.

而且你什麼都不怕。

You were totally and completely in touch

你完完全全與

with your inner superhero.

你的內在英雄接軌。

Scientists and engineers

科學家和工程師

can indeed change the world.

的確能改變世界。

So can you.

你也可以。

You were born to.

你天生就是來改變世界的。

So go ahead,

所以儘管去

ask yourself,

問自己，

what would you attempt to do

假如你知道自己不會失敗

if you knew you could not fail?

你要做什麼?

Now I want to say,

我現在想說，

this is not easy.

這不容易。

It's hard to hold onto this feeling,

很難保持這種感覺，

really hard.

真的很難。

I guess in some way,

我想某個方面來說，

I sort of believe it's supposed to be hard.

我有些相信這本來就應該要很難。

Doubt and fear always creep in.

懷疑和畏懼總是會找上門來。

We think someone else, someone smarter than us,

我們總想著有人，比我更聰明的人、

someone more capable,

能力更強的人、

someone with more resources will solve that problem.

有更多資源的人會去解決這些問題。

But there isn't anyone else;

但沒別人呀，

there's just you.

就只有你自己。

And if we're lucky,

如果我們運氣好，

in that moment,

就在那時

someone steps into that doubt and fear,

會有人走進你的懷疑和恐懼，

takes a hand and says,

牽起你的手

"Let me help you believe."

說：「讓我幫你恢復信心、重新相信自己」

Jason Harley did that for me.

傑森‧哈雷 (Jason Harley) 為我做到了。

Jason started at DARPA

傑森 (Jason) 在 2010 年 3 月 18 日

on March 18th, 2010.

開始在 DARPA 服務。

He was with our transportation team.

他隸屬我們的運輸團隊。

I saw Jason nearly every day,

我每天都見到傑森 (Jason)，

sometimes twice a day.

有時一天碰到兩次。

And more so than most,

他比其他人敏感，

he saw the highs and the lows,

總會留心局裡那些高潮、低潮，

the celebrations and the disappointments.

那些歡慶、失望挫折。

And on one particularly dark day for me,

有一天，我特別不好過，諸事不順，

Jason sat down

傑森坐下來

and he wrote an email.

寫了封電子郵件給我。

He was encouraging,

他語句中帶著鼓勵

but firm.

卻也十分堅定。

And when he hit send,

當他送出這封信時，

he probably didn't realize what a difference it would make.

可能還不太清楚這封信影響多大。

It mattered to me.

這封信對我非常重要。

In that moment

收信當下如此、

and still today

今日亦然，

when I doubt,

每當我有了疑慮、

when I feel afraid,

當我感到畏懼、

when I need to reconnect

當我需要再找回

with that feeling,

挑戰一切、無懼失敗感覺時，

I remember his words,

我記得他的話，

they were so powerful.

它們是如此強而有力。

Text: "There is only time enough to iron your cape

「時間不多，趕緊燙平你的披風 ...

and back to the skies for you."

再飛回天上。」

♫ Superhero, superhero. ♫

♫ 超級英雄，超級英雄 ♫

♫ Superhero, superhero. ♫

♫ 超級英雄，超級英雄 ♫

♫ Superhero, superhero. ♫

♫ 超級英雄，超級英雄 ♫

♫ Superhero, superhero. ♫

♫ 超級英雄，超級英雄 ♫

♫ Superhero, superhero. ♫

♫ 超級英雄，超級英雄 ♫

Voice: Because that's what being a superhero is all about.

配音：「做個超級英雄就是這麼回事」

RD: "There is only time enough

Regina Dugan：「時間不多，

to iron your cape

趕緊熨平你的披風

and back to the skies for you."

再飛回天上。」

And remember,

要記得，

be nice to nerds.

對書獃子們好些。

(Applause)

(掌聲)

Thank you. Thank you.

謝謝，謝謝。

(Applause)

(掌聲)

Chris Anderson: Regina, thank you.

Chris Anderson：蕾金娜 (Regina)，謝謝你。

I have a couple of questions.

我想問幾個問題。

So that glider of yours,

那個超高速滑翔器，

the Mach 20 glider,

可以飛 20 馬赫那個

the first one, no control, it ended up in the Pacific I think somewhere.

第一個，自由滑行那個，應該是掉在太平洋了吧?

RD: Yeah, yeah. It did. (CA: What happened on that second flight?)

RD：對，對，是的。 CA：那第二個呢?

Yeah, it also went into the Pacific. (CA: But this time under control?)

RD：第二個也掉入太平洋了。 CA：但這次是受控制飛進太平洋的?

We didn't fly it into the Pacific.

我們不是故意讓他飛進太平洋。

No, there are multiple portions of the trajectory

整個飛行航線有好幾部分

that are demanding

非常困難

in terms of really flying at that speed.

以那個飛行速度來說。

And so in the second flight,

所以在第二次試飛時

we were able to get three minutes

我們在墜毀前只有三分鐘

of fully aerodynamic control of the vehicle before we lost it.

能完全控制，利用空氣動力方式飛行。

CA: I imagine you're not planning to open up to passenger service

CA：我猜你沒計畫短期內開放

from New York to Long Beach anytime soon.

從紐約直飛長灘的載客航線吧?

RD: It might be a little warm.

RD：乘客可能會覺得太暖了些。

CA: What do you picture that glider being used for?

CA：你認為這滑翔器將用於什麼用途?

RD: Well our responsibility

RD：我們的責任是

is to develop the technology for this.

開發出能超高速飛行的科技。

How it's ultimately used

最後要怎麼用

will be determined by the military.

是由軍方決定。

Now the purpose of the vehicle though,

但設計這個飛行器，

the purpose of the technology,

這科技的目的

is to be able to reach anywhere in the world

是在能於 60 分鐘內飛到

in less than 60 minutes.

地球的任何一個角落。

CA: And to carry a payload

CA：而且載重荷量

of more than a few pounds? (RD: Yeah.)

不輕吧? RD：是。

Like what's the payload it could carry?

CA：實際載重荷量多少呢?

RD: Well I don't think we ultimately know what it will be, right.

RD：我不知道最後載重狀況如何。

We've got to fly it first.

我們得先能飛才是。

CA: But not necessarily just a camera?

CA：但不僅僅是個攝影機吧?

RD: No, not necessarily just a camera.

RD：不，當然不必然只是個攝影機。

CA: It's amazing.

CA：真是太棒了。

The hummingbird?

對了，那個蜂鳥?

RD: Yeah?

RD：怎麼樣?

CA: I'm curious, you started your beautiful sequence on flight

CA：我很好奇。

with a plane kind of trying to flap its wings

這麼個拼命拍翅膀的飛行器

and failing horribly,

有這麼驚人的失敗記錄，

and there haven't been that many planes built since

自發展飛機初期僅見的拍翅膀飛機後

that flap wings.

就不曾製造幾個這種類型的飛機。

Why did we think that this was the time to go biomimicry

為什麼會認為這時會是發展模仿動物

and copy a hummingbird?

抄襲蜂鳥飛行的飛行器?

Isn't that a very expensive solution

這不是有些貴過頭了，

for a small maneuverable flying object?

只為要生產一個小小的可操控的飛行器?

RD: So I mean, in part,

RD：我分享這件事，部分也因為

we wondered if it was possible to do it.

我們很好奇這是不是可能的。

And you have to revisit these questions

而且過去的失敗，在經過一段時間後

over time.

其實也很值得再一次探討。

The folks at AeroVironment

空環 (AeroVironment) 公司

tried 300 or more different wing designs,

設計了不只 300 種不同的翅膀、

12 different forms of the avionics.

12 種不同的飛行操控裝置。

It took them 10 full prototypes

他們一直做到第 10 個原型機

to get something that would actually fly.

才做出個真的可以飛的東西。

But there's something really interesting

其實在飛這些看來

about a flying machine

很熟悉的東西時

that looks like something you'd recognize.

是很有趣的。

So we often talk about stealth

我們不是經常說

as a means for avoiding any type of sensing,

要製造怎麼都偵測不到的隱形飛機嗎?

but when things looks just natural,

只要看起來像自然事物，

you also don't see them.

你就視而不見了。

CA: Ah. So it's not necessarily just the performance.

CA：原來不只是操控及性能

It's partly the look. (RD: Sure.)

部分也是為了外表。 RD：對。

It's actually, "Look at that cute hummingbird

反應變成：「看啊，有個好可愛的蜂鳥

flying into my headquarters."

飛進我們總部。」

(Laughter)

(笑聲)

Because I think, as well as the awe of looking at that,

因為儘管這看來讓人佩服，我想

I'm sure some people here are thinking,

我相信在場有人會想

technology catches up so quick,

科技進步這麼快，

how long is it

要多久

before some crazed geek with a little remote control

才會看到些科技怪咖用個小小的遙控

flies one through a window of the White House?

控制個這樣的飛行器從個窗口飛進白宮?

I mean, do you worry about the Pandora's box issue here?

我是說，你不擔心有「潘朵拉盒子」的問題嗎?

RD: Well look, our singular mission

RD：嗯，我們的單一任務

is the creation and prevention of strategic surprise.

是在製造及防範在戰略上的意外。

That's what we do.

這是我們的任務。

It would be inconceivable

我們都知道

for us to do that work

這樣的工作性質

if we didn't make people excited and uncomfortable with the things that we do

會讓人們既驚喜又擔心，

at the same time.

喜憂參半。

It's just the nature of what we do.

我們的工作本質就是這樣。

Now our responsibility

我們的責任

is to push that edge.

是盡力發展最尖端科技。

And we have to be, of course, mindful and responsible

當然，我們也該明白

of how the technology is developed

也該對我們發展的科技的過程

and ultimately used,

及最終使用方式負責任，

but we can't simply close our eyes

但我們無法閉起眼睛，假裝我們沒看到

and pretend that it isn't advancing; it's advancing.

科技的進步 - 科技每天都在進步。

CA: I mean, you're clearly a really inspiring leader.

CA：我得說，你的的確確是個激勵人的領袖。

And you persuade people

你能說服人

to go to these great feats of invention,

去從事這些偉大的發明，

but at a personal level,

但就個人層次來說

in a way I can't imagine doing your job.

我不大能想像自己做你的工作。

Do you wake up in the night sometimes,

你會不會有時半夜從夢中醒來，

just asking questions

自己問自己

about the possibly unintended consequences

自己團隊的超人才幹

of your team's brilliance?

會帶來哪些未曾料想到的後果?

RD: Sure.

RD：當然會。

I think you couldn't be human

不想到這些問題

if you didn't ask those questions.

那就難稱得上是人了。

CA: How do you answer them?

CA：你的答案是?

RD: Well I don't always have answers for them, right.

RD：我其實常常也沒有答案。

I think that we learn

我想隨著時間進行

as time goes on.

我們會學到些什麼。

My job is one of the most exhilarating jobs you could have.

我的工作非常讓人振奮。

I work with some of the most amazing people.

我和一些最棒的人共事。

And with that exhilaration,

這股振奮的感覺

comes a really deep sense

也帶來一分深深的

of responsibility.

責任感。

And so you have on the one hand

所以你一面

this tremendous lift

感受到化不可能為可能

of what's possible

的振奮，

and this tremendous seriousness

一面也承受

of what it means.

其嚴肅性。

CA: Regina, that was jaw-dropping, as they say.

CA：蕾金娜 (Regina)，你讓我嘴都合不攏了。

Thank you so much for coming to TED. (RD: Thank you.)

謝謝你到 TED 來與大家分享。 RD：謝謝你。

(Applause)

(掌聲)