美国批准苹果AirPods用作助听器
📖 逐句对照翻译
The American government has approved the use of Apple AirPods as hearing aids.
美国政府已批准将苹果AirPods用作助听器。
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently announced it had approved new hearing aid software created for some AirPods devices.
美国食品药品监督管理局（FDA）最近宣布，已批准为部分AirPods设备开发的新型助听器软件。
An Apple software release this week launched the system on the devices.
苹果本周发布的软件在设备上启动了该系统。
Apple said its AirPods Pro 2 are equipped with the software.
苹果表示，其AirPods Pro 2耳机配备了该软件。
The company added that the design will permit users to turn their AirPods into a medical-strength hearing aid device.
该公司还表示，这一设计将允许用户把AirPods变成医疗级助听设备。
The system aims to increase specific sounds in real-time, including parts of speech and elements within a users’ environment.
该系统旨在实时增强特定的声音，包括语音成分以及用户环境中的各种元素。
Apple says another goal of its software release is to get more people to try hearing aids.
苹果表示，其软件发布的另一个目标是让更多人尝试使用助听器。
An estimated 30 million Americans – about 1 in 8 Americans over the age of 12 — have hearing loss in both ears.
据估计，有3000万美国人——大约每8个12岁以上的美国人中就有1个——双耳存在听力损失。
Millions could see improvements from hearing aids.
数百万人可能因助听器而获得改善。
But most have never tried them, the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders says.
但美国国家耳聋及其他沟通障碍研究所表示，大多数人从未尝试过这些方法。
Many others have tried assistive devices, but choose not to use them.
许多其他人尝试过辅助设备，但选择不使用它们。
The reasons include high cost, poor quality, poor fit, how the devices look or other reasons.
原因包括成本高、质量差、不合身、设备外观或其他原因。
But in recent years, there has been a push in the U.S. to get more people to try them.
但近年来，美国一直在推动让更多人尝试它们。
In 2022, federal rules changed to permit some kinds of hearing aids to be sold without a doctor’s order, or prescription.
2022年，联邦法规发生变化，允许某些类型的助听器无需医生处方即可销售。
Such moves aimed to bring better and less costly models to patients.
这些举措旨在为患者带来更好且成本更低的模型。
The highest-quality hearing aids can cost from $1,000 to $2,500, or even more.
最高品质的助听器价格从1000美元到2500美元不等，甚至更高。
But some over-the-counter models sell for between $400 and $500, said Elizabeth Stangl, a hearing expert at the University of Iowa.
但爱荷华大学的听力专家伊丽莎白·斯坦格尔表示，一些非处方助听器的售价在400至500美元之间。
She spoke to The Associated Press.
她接受了美联社的采访。
Stangl said some of the less costly models are only effective at raising sound levels.
斯坦格尔表示，一些较便宜的型号只能有效地提高音量。
But they lack the personal settings and noise blocking tools that can make hearing aids most helpful.
但它们缺少个性化设置和噪音屏蔽工具，而这些功能恰恰能让助听器发挥最大效用。
AirPods cost $249 on Apple’s website, and sometimes less from other sellers.
AirPods在苹果官网售价249美元，其他卖家有时会更便宜。
The launch of the software is part of a series of health tools Apple has released over the years.
这款软件的发布是苹果多年来推出的一系列健康工具的一部分。
Most of them were built for the Apple Watch.
它们中的大多数是为Apple Watch打造的。
These include several tools for checking heart and oxygen levels.
这些包括几种检查心脏和氧气水平的工具。
Apple’s software release also includes built-in tests to help users find out if they have hearing loss and, if so, how severe it is.
苹果的软件发布还包含内置测试，帮助用户了解自己是否有听力损失，以及如果有的话，损失程度如何。
Those who do have hearing loss can then set specific amplification levels.
那些确实有听力损失的人可以设置特定的放大级别。
Experts say there are other, similar headphone devices on the market that could also be used to increase sound levels for people with hearing loss.
专家表示，市场上还有其他类似的耳机设备，也可以用来为听力受损者提高音量。
But many agree the AirPods addition is a good one, largely because of the way it could help normalize hearing aids for the public.
但许多人认为增加AirPods功能是件好事，主要是因为它有助于让助听器为公众所接受。
Barbara Kelley is the director of the Hearing Loss Association of America.
芭芭拉·凯利是美国听力损失协会的主任。
She told the AP that AirPods are considered “mainstream” and already widely used.
她告诉美联社，AirPods被认为是“主流”产品，并且已经被广泛使用。
This could get people to try the devices if they have been resistant to the look of traditional hearing aids.
这可能会促使那些对传统助听器外观有抵触情绪的人尝试这些设备。
Kelley noted that many health conditions have been linked to hearing loss.
Kelley指出，许多健康问题都与听力损失有关。
These include depression, dementia and greater risk of falls.
这些包括抑郁症、痴呆症以及跌倒风险增加。
The majority of people with hearing loss are over age 60, but it can affect younger people as well, including those who suffered a hearing damaging event.
大多数听力损失患者年龄超过60岁，但年轻人也可能受到影响，包括那些经历过损伤听力事件的人。
“Everything we do, all our relationships, whether it’s personal or in our work life, involve hearing conversation,” Kelley said.
凯利说：“我们所做的一切，我们所有的关系，无论是私人的还是工作中的，都离不开倾听对话。”
“We’re finding now that the sooner that people can pay attention to their hearing health, the better.”
“我们现在发现，人们越早关注自己的听力健康越好。”
The University of Iowa’s Stangl noted the AirPods solution does come with possible issues some people may not like.
爱荷华大学的斯坦格尔指出，AirPods的解决方案确实存在一些人可能不喜欢的潜在问题。
Fit and comfort during long use might be one of these.
长时间使用时的贴合度和舒适度可能是其中之一。
And while other hearing aids are built to last through a whole day or more, she said the battery life of the AirPods does not permit for that.
她还表示，其他助听器的设计续航能维持一整天甚至更久，而AirPods的电池续航无法做到这一点。
She also said that wearing AirPods might send a message to others that the person does not want to be disturbed or spoken to.
她还表示，戴AirPods可能会向他人传递一个信息，即此人不想被打扰或交谈。
“But we’re hoping that more people will try it and realize, ‘Yeah, these do help,’”
但我们希望更多人尝试它，并意识到，‘是的，这些确实有帮助。’
Stangl said.
施坦格尔说。
I’m Bryan Lynn.
我是布莱恩·林恩。
Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English, based on reports from The Associated Press, Reuters, Agence France-Press and Apple.
布莱恩·林恩根据美联社、路透社、法新社和苹果公司的报道，为美国之音英语学习栏目撰写了这篇报道。
