New Mask Could Make Eating in Restaurants Less Risky

新型口罩问世，或降低餐厅用餐风险

 

Israeli inventors have developed a face mask with a remote-controlled mouth that helps protect against the coronavirus. They say someone wearing the mask could eat food without taking it off. And they say the device could make a visit to a restaurant less risky.

 

以色列的发明家研发出一种可遥控嘴巴部位的口罩以帮助人们预防冠状病毒。他们表示戴这种口罩的人可以不必摘下口罩就能吃东西，并表示佩戴这种口罩可以减少餐厅就餐的风险。

 

The mask operates much like a handbrake on a bicycle. A user pulls a lever which creates an opening in the front of the mask so that food can pass through.

 

这种口罩的操作方式就像自行车上的手刹一样。使用者拉动控制杆，控制杆会在口罩上打开一个开口，以便佩戴人将食物送入口中。

 

Asaf Gitelis is vice president of Avtipus Patents and Inventions. He demonstrated the device at the company’s offices near Tel Aviv.

 

阿维普斯专利及发明公司的副主席爱瑟夫·盖特利斯在特拉维夫附近的公司办公室演示了该设备的使用方式。

 

Gitelis said, “The mask will be opened mechanically by hand remote or automatically when the fork is coming to the mask.”

 

盖特利斯说：“当叉子接近口罩时，口罩将通过手动或自动机械地方式打开。”

 

“Then you can eat, enjoy, drink and you take out the fork and it will be closed, and you’re protected against the virus and other people sitting with you.”

 

“然后您就可以享受美食美酒了，吃完拿出叉子口罩就会被关闭，从而保护您和其他与您同坐的人免受病毒的侵害。”

 

The company said it plans to start manufacturing the mask in the next few months and had already asked for a patent. It said it would likely sell from $0.85 to $2.85 more than the price of the simple, blue medical masks many Israelis wear.

 

该公司表示计划在未来几个月内开始生产该口罩，并且已经在申请专利。它还说，这种口罩的售价可能比许多以色列人戴着的简单的蓝色医用口罩的价格高出0.85美元至2.85美元。

 

A Reuters news agency employee showed Israelis a video of the mask in action on a wireless phone outside an eatery in Tel Aviv.

 

路透社的一名雇员在特拉维夫一家餐馆外使用无线电话向以色列人展示了该口罩的操作视频。

 

“I think this mask, that enables me to eat while I’m still wearing it, is a must-have,” said Ofir Hameiri, a 32-year-old graduate student.

 

32岁的研究生奥菲尔·哈梅里表示：“我认为这种口罩是必买的，它使我能够在佩戴口罩的同时进食”。

 

But 29-year-old musician Ron Silberstein said he did not think the mask would work well with foods that melt, such as ice cream.

 

但现年29岁的音乐家罗恩·西尔伯斯坦表示，他认为这种口罩不适用于会融化的食物，例如冰淇淋。

 

Israel has largely reopened its economy after a large drop in cases of the new coronavirus. For now, restaurants are open only for takeout service.

 

在新冠状病毒病例大幅下降之后，以色列已在很大程度上重新开放了经济。目前，餐厅仅开放外卖服务。

 

I’m Jonathan Evans.

 

乔纳森·埃文斯报道。

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