Schoolkids help a penguin walk again with 3D printing

山西太原市 史 婕

美国康涅狄格州米斯蒂克中学学生得知市水族馆的一只非洲企鹅屈肌腱受损且活动受到严重影响后，为企鹅打印了一只轻便耐穿的靴子使其恢复了正常生活。

Who wouldhaveguessedthatYellow-Purple， aka Purps， a 23-year-old African penguin，would become the focus of an exciting high-tech effort involving middle school students？

African penguins are an endangered species.They are beautiful，black and white birds that are about two feet tall when fully grown.Yellow-Purple is just one of them and lives at Mystic Aquarium in Mystic，Connecticut.

The story began five years ago，when Purps tore a flexor tendon （屈肌腱）in her ankle，making it rather difficult to walk or swim with her injured left leg.The aquarium staff made her a little support boot from moldable plastic that was time-consuming to build and awkward to carry.

Kelly Matis，Mystic Aquarium's Vice President of Education&Conservation，happened to know that Mystic Middle School had recently acquired a 3D Systems printer.Shehit uponan idea of upgrading what Yellow-Purple had previously beenfitted up with.So shereached out tothe school and arranged a meeting.

Sue Prince，Library Media Specialist at Mystic Middle School，and seven middle school students visited Yellow-Purple to learn what was needed，and then contacted the supplier of their 3D printer， ACT Group， with a simple ques-tion： “Can we create a boot for a penguin？ ”

The answer was—yes！ With ACT Group's help，the students first scanned the existing cast of Purps'leg with a Geomatic （与测绘学有关的）Capture 3D Scanner and generated a digital model that was later adjusted andcustom-madeusing 3D Systems'Geomatic Sculpt software.Then the final design was printed on a multimaterial 3D printer as one single piece using flexible and rigid materials to make sure the boot was durable yet lightweight.Just imagine the extreme excitement to see Yellow-Purple move around normally again！

This project not only helped a member of an endangered species，but it gave the students ahands-onunderstanding of the 3D printing process and how tocarryan ideathroughfrom a concept to a design to a usable object.

Reading Check

1.What idea did Kelly Matis come up with to help Purps？

A.Finding an animal doctor to treat Purps'tendon injury.

B.3D modeling a new ankle to help Purps walk normally.

C.Replacing Purps'plastic boot with a 3D printed footwear.

D.Equipping Purps with a support boot for her injured foot.

2.What can we learn from the passage about the boot-making process？

A.The students created the lightweight boot on their own.

B.The 3D-printed boot improved upon an earlier design.

C.The students invented the digital model for 3D printing.

D.The lightweight boot was modeled in onepiece plastic.

Language Study

Ⅰ.Important vocabulary in the text

1.hit upon灵机一动地想出（解决办法等）

2.fit sb up with sth给某人配备某物

3.reach out to sb与某人联系以寻求帮助

4.custom-madeadj.按照个体需求定制的

5.hands-onadj.亲身体验的；实际操作的

6.carry sth through（不顾困难或反对）将某事进行到底

Ⅱ.Complete the following sentences with the vocabulary given above.

1.The optician will soon fit you _______a new pair of glasses.

2.It's a tough job，and we're relying on you to_______it through.

3.Ifyou have any questions orconcerns，please _______us at this email address.

4.Ninety-nine percent of primary pupils now have _______experience of computers.

5.After adding up all the numbers in every possible combination，we finally _______a solution.