If you’ve ever stared enviously at an ant, jealous of its six-legged efficiency, then you’ll be happy to hear that engineers at Japan’s Inami Hiyama Laboratory have developed a multi-limbed robotic suit – able to give users control over two extra arms.

如果你曾羡慕地盯着一只蚂蚁，嫉妒它六条腿的效率，那么你会很高兴听到这则消息，日本稲見・檜山研究所的工程师开发了一套多臂机械套装，可以使用户控制另外两条手臂。

The MetaLimbs system is built up of two main parts: The first is a set of robotic limbs that rest on the wearer like a tech-heavy backpack. The second is a tracking system attached to the wearer’s legs.

金属壁系统由两个主要部分构成：第一部分是一套机械臂，它就像一个高科技的双肩背包一样背在佩戴者身上。第二部分是一个附着在佩戴者腿上的追踪系统。

Optical markers are attached to toes and knees. When the wearer moves their leg, so does the accompanying robotic arm. When they squeeze their toes, the robot hand tightens its grip.

光学指示器附着在脚趾和膝盖上。当佩戴者移动他们的腿部时，附属的机械臂也会移动。当他们挤压脚趾，机械臂就会牢牢握紧。

There’s also haptic feedback, so when wearer holds something they feel pressure on their foot.

这套机械臂还有触觉反馈，所以当佩戴者握住某物时，他们的足部就会感受到压力。

Although the demo highlights the use of additional limbs alongside the upper body, it seems the most immediately useful case for the technology would be for those who have lost the use of their arms.

虽然样品演示突出了上半身外加手臂的用途，但这种技术立竿见影的有效实例似乎就是为那些失去手臂的人所用。

Being able to shift control of the legs to an exterior set of limbs is a useful way to rejig body functionality for those with disabilities. It would be interesting, for example, to see if a similar system could move in the opposite direction – with artificial legs controlled by arm movements.

对于那些身有残疾的人来说，能够通过腿部来控制一套外置手臂是调整身体功能的一种有效方式。设想一下，一套相似的系统是否可以反向操作，例如通过移动手臂来控制义肢，这会很有趣。

Beyond this, the project raises interesting questions about the concept of the human body, and how it can be reorganised with the help of advanced prosthetics.

除此之外，这个项目提出了关于人体概念的有趣问题，借助先进的修复术可以如何重组人体？

It is a novel experience, your body will adapt to a new type of human shape and the body schema will metamorphose [to encompass] multiple arms.

这是一项新奇的体验，你的身体会适应一种新式的体型，而且身体架构会变得可以附着多条手臂。

（翻译：Dlacus）