Thanks to this cool new two-piece bathing suit， cleaning up the world’s oceans might actually become the ‘in’ thing to do during the hot summer months!
真的要感谢这件两件套的泳衣，让我们在炎炎夏日里，游个泳还能清洁海水。
The 3D-printed Sponge Suit bikini is made of flexible， carbon-based filler materials that function like a sponge， absorbing all sorts of pollutants from water. So you put it on， wade into the water， and end up cleaning the seas “one stroke at a time”. It’s supposed to be absolutely safe for the wearer.
这个3D打印的海绵比基尼套装由有弹性的碳填充材料制成，质地就像海绵，能够吸收水中的污渍。所以，穿上它涉水，你就相当于清理了一次海水。而且对穿戴者也是绝对安全的。
The sponge filler was invented by a group of engineers led by electrical engineering professor Mihri Ozkan. But instead of just dumping it into water， they wanted to find a fun way of getting people involved in the cleaning process and add an eco-friendly element to the leisure activity of swimming. So they enlisted the help of design firm Eray Carbajo to convert the material into a functional， wearable swimsuit that’s economically sustainable and environmentally friendly.
海绵填充材料是由电气工程教授米赫利·厄兹坎带领的团队发明的。他们希望人们能够通过有趣的方式参与净水过程，同时也希望游泳这项娱乐中能加入环保的元素，而不是把这些材料直接投入水中。所以他们在设计公司阿雷卡尔瓦霍（ErayCarbajo）的帮助下，将该材料转变成一个实用并且可以穿戴的泳装，这样有利于经济可持续发展和环境保护。
“We believe wearable technology can be the next big thing to undo the overseen or remain-to-be-seen harms of mankind’s technological advancements，” the creators said.
泳衣的发明者说：“我们相信，对于科技发展过程中产生的已知和未知的危害，可穿戴技术将成为其最重要的解决方式之一。”
The sponge-like filler can absorb pollutants up to 25 times its own weight， which will not be released until it is heated to over 1000？C. At such temperatures， the material will return to its original liquid form and once melted down， the pollutants and contaminants can be separated. The sponge material can be recycled to make another swimsuit.
该海绵状填料能吸收的污染物重量可达自重的25倍，而且在1000度以下都不会释放。如果在这个温度下，材料会恢复原始液体形式，一旦熔化，污染物和杂质将会分散开来，海绵原料可以被回收，并且制成新的泳衣。
“This is a super material that is not harmful to the environment and very cost effective to produce，” Ozkan said.
厄兹坎说：“这是一种有益于环境并且成本效益很高的超级材料。”
“The form of the Sponge Suit is inspired by the super-porous， mesh-like structure of the Sponge material，” an Eray Carbajo spokesperson added. “The final form of the 3D print shell was obtained through the various iterations of the same undulating form. The filler amount and the allocation were identified by creating several design alternatives， considering the form and the ergonomics of the human body， while pushing the limits in translucent swimwear design.”
阿雷卡尔瓦霍发言人补充道：“海绵套装泳衣的形式是受海绵材料超多孔介质，网状结构的启发。3D打印塑模的最终形式是通过各种相同的起伏迭代形式获得。在创建多个设计方案，通过人体工程学分析形状后决定材料的数量和分布。这种设计超越了半透明泳衣的极限。”
The innovative Sponge Suit won first prize at the 2015 Reshape Wearable Technology Competition. It is a prototype for now， but the makers are ready for mass production and it should hit retail markets in the near future. They’re also planning to apply the same technology to other types of swimsuits and swimming caps.
在2015年重塑可穿戴技术比赛中，创新的海绵比基尼获得了一等奖。现在它还只是一个雏形，但生产商准备好大量生产，在不久的将来就能进军零售市场。他们还计划将此技术应用到其他类型的泳衣和泳帽上。
Having to recycle your bathing suit after a few swims doesn’t really sound very practical， but you have to admit that this idea may be the start of something groundbreaking.
也许让你在游几次泳之后就回收泳衣的做法不那么实际，但必须承认这确实是一个开创性的好点子。
Vocabulary
cost effective: 有成本效益的；划算的
iteration: 迭代，反复
undulating: 波状的，起伏的
ergonomics: 人体工程学
translucent: 透明的；半透明的
prototype: 原型；样品
英文来源：odditycentral.com
译者：黄心喻
审校&编辑：丹妮
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