IBM近日發明了一種比服務員還要周到的無人機，在你想喝咖啡的時候，就能自動飛過來為你倒咖啡，而且還能預測下一杯咖啡什麼時候送來。此外，這種無人機還能根據你的口味提供不同的咖啡。有如此懂你的咖啡小哥，夫復何求？
Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash
Your next barista could be a coffee-delivering drone.
你的下一位咖啡師，或許就會是一架無人機了。
IBM has filed a patent for an unmanned aerial vehicle that's capable of dropping off a cup of coffee to employees or café customers before they even ask for one.
據悉，IBM公司目前已經為一種無人駕駛飛行器申請了專利，該飛行器能夠在企業員工或咖啡館顧客提出需求前，就自動飛過去倒上一杯咖啡。
The drone would use sensors to determine when someone wants a drink, by looking for specific hand gestures, or by assessing their 'pre-determined cognitive state.'
這種無人機將使用傳感器來探測某人是否想喝咖啡，判斷依據為特定手勢或“預判認知狀態”。
It would then fly over to the person, with the drink attached to the device via a drink holder, such as a plastic bag, and deliver the coffee.
隨後，無人機會飛至需求者上空，通過連接在設備上的飲料架（如塑料袋）將咖啡送上。
In one example, coffee is shown as being dispensed directly from the drone and into a person's mug.
在一項示例中，無人機能夠直接將咖啡倒入某人的馬克杯中。
The patent describes how the drone would determine a person's 'cognitive state' to assess if they need a cup of joe.
這項專利還描述了無人機如何根據一個人的“認知狀態”來評估他們是否需要一杯咖啡。
'The assessment and estimate is based on any of: sleep quality, electronic calendar, biometrics, blood pressure, pupil dilation, facial expression analysis, the time an individual woke up in the morning, and gesture analysis,' the document states.
文件顯示：“評估與預測基於以下任一特徵：睡眠質量、電子日曆、生物測定、血壓、瞳孔放大、面部表情分析、起床時間以及手勢分析。”
These factors would be detected via some kind of Fitbit-style wearable, or by analyzing a person's calendar.
這些特徵可以通過一些可穿戴設備或個人電子日曆進行檢測。
Drones may also be connected to a server, which would dictate where the device should go next.
無人機同時會連接到服務器，以便獲知下一個目的地。
It would even factor in users' habits around coffee consumption to predict when and where it would need to deliver a cup next.
此外，該系統甚至還能夠以用戶的咖啡消費習慣為依據，來預測用戶在何時何處會需要下一杯咖啡。
'Coffee consumption often has a habitual or ritualistic aspect to it, with many individuals having coffee to start their day, punctuate a mid-morning break or as an after dinner activity,' the patent explains.
該專利解釋道：“咖啡消費往往具有習慣性或儀式感，許多人都會以一杯咖啡開始嶄新的一天，此後還會在上午休息或餐後活動時飲用。”
'Over time, a system of the disclosure can learn times and places at which an individual tends to prefer to consume coffee and can use that history to adjust its [corresponding confidence level] for a particular person or place.'
“隨著時間的推移，這套系統還會了解某人傾向於在何時何處消費咖啡，並根據歷史記錄調整系統對某人或某地的‘響應信心指數’。”
Of course, the drone can also accommodate users' 'preference profiles,' or in other words, it can deliver coffees with milk or filter coffees.
當然，這種無人機也可以滿足用戶的偏好設置，換句話說，它也可以提供牛奶咖啡或過濾咖啡。
Interestingly, the patent also describes using the drone's biometric sensors for other purposes.
有趣的是，這項專利還描述了無人機所帶生物識別傳感器的其他用途。
If someone is too drunk, the drone would be able to cut them off from ordering another drink, by picking up on unpredictable movements and slurred speech.
如果一個人喝得爛醉，通過動作異常或語言含糊等特徵進行識別後，無人機就會取消再來一杯的訂單。
The patent comes as IBM has been exploring other drone technologies, such as a fleet of drones that can pass packages mid-air.
值得一提的是，IBM公司以前也一直在探索其他無人機技術，例如可以在空中傳送包裹的無人機群。
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