TED2017
Richard Browning: How I built a jet suit
理查．布朗寧: 我如何建造飛行裝
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我們全都夢想飛行──但是理查．布朗寧則是飛行成癮。他建造一套類似鋼鐵人的鎧甲，依照人類身心與科技之間優雅的相互調和，他將科學小說裡的夢想與現實進一步地接軌。與布朗寧一起起飛，透過令人印象深刻的示範影片，了解他的發明背後所經歷的無數試飛和從錯誤中學習的心路歷程。
Richard Browning - Founder, Gravity
Richard Browning is the founder of human propulsion technology startup Gravity, which has invented, built and patented a personal flight system. Full bio
Richard Browning is the founder of human propulsion technology startup Gravity, which has invented, built and patented a personal flight system. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:13
Michael Browning: engineer,
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麥可．布朗寧是位工程師、
00:15
innovator --
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創造家──
00:17
inventor, really --
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更明確來說，是位發明家──
00:18
and inspiring father.
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以及激勵人心的父親。
00:20
He had a passion for flight,
as you can kind of sense
as you can kind of sense
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你們可以從他在 70 年代
收到的那張怪怪的離職禮物，
收到的那張怪怪的離職禮物，
00:23
from that rather dubious
1970s office-leaving present.
1970s office-leaving present.
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感受到他對飛行充滿熱忱。
00:27
And some 40 years after that was created,
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那張圖片創作 40 多年後，
00:30
a small group of us got together
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一群人組成小團隊，
開始進行嘗試，
00:33
to have a go,
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00:34
a run at the whole challenge of flight
that inspired people for years,
that inspired people for years,
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全面展開飛行挑戰的測試，
多年來更鼓舞不少人，
多年來更鼓舞不少人，
00:38
and do it in a very different kind of way.
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且是以迥然不同的方式進行。
00:40
And that's the journey I'd like
to share with you now.
to share with you now.
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我現在想與各位分享這段旅程。
00:43
The starting hypothesis was one
of the human mind and body,
of the human mind and body,
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一切起始於下列的假設：
也就是人類的身心，
也就是人類的身心，
00:46
which, as you've seen
for the last few days here,
for the last few days here,
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正如同各位過去幾天所見，
00:49
is an amazing construct.
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具備神奇的結構。
00:50
What if you augmented
that wonderful machine
that wonderful machine
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如果結合科技與人體結構
00:54
with just the right technology?
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會是怎樣的情況？
00:56
If you approach flight
in that kind of real way,
in that kind of real way,
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若真的透過這樣的方式飛行，
00:58
where could you get to?
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又能引領我們到甚麼境界?
00:59
So my training partner here
back in London, Denton,
back in London, Denton,
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所以這是我在位於
倫敦丹頓的訓練夥伴，
倫敦丹頓的訓練夥伴，
01:03
is doing a much better job
of that kind of stuff than me.
of that kind of stuff than me.
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他做起這樣的嘗試比我更在行。
01:06
Guess what? It's London.
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想像得到嗎？那是倫敦。
01:07
The idea was that you augment that.
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一個想法就是你去擴增它。
01:10
And so, how do you augment that?
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該如何擴增？
01:12
Well, we bought one of these.
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我們買了一台這個機器。
01:15
This is a micro gas turbine.
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這是小型天然氣渦輪機。
01:17
This was ground zero,
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這是起始點，
01:19
so that little piece of kit
proved really quite impressive,
proved really quite impressive,
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事實證明這台小機器
功效頗為強大。
功效頗為強大。
01:22
so we got two in a field.
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所以我們帶了兩台到草原上。
01:26
The real hero here, by the way,
is, right in the background,
is, right in the background,
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這裡真正的英雄
其實在畫面的後方，
其實在畫面的後方，
01:29
there's a lady tending some vegetables,
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有位女士在照料蔬菜，
01:31
who does a brilliant job
of trying to ignore us for a while --
of trying to ignore us for a while --
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她好厲害試圖忽略我們……
01:34
(Laughter)
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（笑聲）
01:37
I think the only thing
less happy is the grass,
less happy is the grass,
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現場唯一不快樂的應該是草皮，
01:40
that we did probably damage quite badly.
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我們的確帶來不小的傷害。
01:42
You get an idea of the thrust here,
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從影片大概可以了解推力的運作，
01:44
when I try to hold them horizontally
and somewhat fail.
and somewhat fail.
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當渦輪機呈水平狀態
便無法順利運作。
便無法順利運作。
01:47
That's around 50 kilos of thrust there.
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影片中的推動力約有 50 公斤。
01:49
We were quite impressed with that.
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這讓我們感到驚豔，
01:51
We thought we were getting somewhere.
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我們認為算是有點進展。
01:52
So there's only one sensible way
to go from there:
to go from there:
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唯一合理的改進方式是：
01:56
you get four.
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用四個渦輪機。
01:57
(Laughter)
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（笑聲）
02:02
I have to say, I still like
watching these back.
watching these back.
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我必須說這些影片我百看不厭。
02:05
So then we thought well, let's try
and spread the load a bit.
and spread the load a bit.
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然後我們試著分配重量，
02:08
The legs are designed to take the load,
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承受重量的主要是雙腿，
02:10
so why don't we spread it out a bit?
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為何不乾脆以其他方式分攤重量?
02:12
That bit was good.
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腿部的裝置挺好，
02:15
The harness --
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降落傘背帶──
是不錯的想法，但卻行不通。
02:16
a nice idea but it didn't really work,
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02:18
as you'll see now.
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如同你現在所看到的。
02:20
This whole journey was very much
about trying things --
about trying things --
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整趟的過程基本上就是不斷嘗試，
02:22
(Laughter)
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（笑聲）
02:23
Yeah, it really didn't work, did it?
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真的行不太通，對吧？
02:25
Trying things and learning
by failing at them most of the time.
by failing at them most of the time.
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持續嘗試又從一次次的失敗中學習。
02:29
And that included failing by falling over.
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也包括不斷的摔跤。
02:34
If you notice, we've got
five engines here --
five engines here --
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如果仔細看會發現
我們穿上五個渦輪機，
我們穿上五個渦輪機，
02:37
not to be put off by the fact
one was in maintenance,
one was in maintenance,
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其中還有一個在保養中，
02:39
still had a go.
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但我們仍繼續試試看。
02:40
(Laughter)
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（笑聲）
02:41
And then I pinched a fuel line.
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然後我壓到了油料管線一下。
不是一個良好的嘗試，
我們學著不再重蹈覆轍。
我們學著不再重蹈覆轍。
02:44
So again, good learning.
We learned not to do that again.
We learned not to do that again.
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02:47
This was a blind alley.
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根本死路一條。
02:48
(Laughter)
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（笑聲）
02:49
This was three on each arm --
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影片中每條手臂安裝三個渦輪機，
02:51
that was ridiculous.
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是很誇張沒錯，
02:52
That was 70 kilos on each arm.
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等於每隻手臂負重七十公斤，
02:54
Again, struck that one off.
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同樣地，此法也行不通。
02:55
(Laughter)
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（笑聲）
02:57
But we were starting to make
some really quite convincing progress,
some really quite convincing progress,
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但我們開始有使人信服的小突破，
03:01
just enough to make you
believe that maybe --
believe that maybe --
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足夠使大家信服，
03:03
maybe we could get there.
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也許我們真的辦得到。
03:05
You can see, look -- tantalizing.
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這段畫面看起來很吸引人。
03:07
The model of one on each leg
and two on each arm,
and two on each arm,
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每條腿裝上一個推動器
每條手臂則各裝上兩個。
每條手臂則各裝上兩個。
03:11
on paper, that was enough thrust.
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理論上來說
會產生足夠的推動力。
會產生足夠的推動力。
03:13
And then we did what
I'm about to show you now,
I'm about to show you now,
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接下來我們做到了
我即將展示給各位觀看的，
我即將展示給各位觀看的，
03:16
and I still love watching this one.
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這段影片我仍百看不厭。
03:21
This was our first six-second,
reasonably coherent flight.
reasonably coherent flight.
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這是我們首次
維持長達六秒的平穩飛行，
維持長達六秒的平穩飛行，
03:27
(Applause)
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（掌聲）
03:31
That was the point where
this endeavor went from:
this endeavor went from:
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此突破也勾勒出整個嘗試的過程：
從「我真的不確定，
到底行不行得通。」
到底行不行得通。」
03:35
"I'm really not sure
this is going to work,"
this is going to work,"
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到「我的老天爺，我們做到了！」
03:37
to: "Oh my god, it does work!"
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從這個小突破我們加以修正改良，
03:38
From there on we then refined it,
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03:40
but we carried on falling over a lot.
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整個過程還是常常摔跤，
03:43
Falling over, like I say, is definitely
the best way to learn.
the best way to learn.
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在我看來跌一跤，
絕對是最佳的學習途徑。
絕對是最佳的學習途徑。
03:46
After a while, we starting
really refining the layout of all of this.
really refining the layout of all of this.
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過沒多久我們開始調整改良裝備，
03:49
And you'll see,
that's stability and control --
that's stability and control --
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如你們眼前所見
飛的更穩和控制得當。
飛的更穩和控制得當。
03:52
there's no wires there or anything --
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身上也沒有亂七八糟的線路，
03:54
that's a combination of us
refining the technology,
refining the technology,
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我們的手法是將科技加以調整精進，
包括以保鮮盒保護渦輪機，
03:56
including with a Tupperware box
on the back for the electronics
on the back for the electronics
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03:59
and actually learning
the balance and control.
the balance and control.
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加上學習平衡與控制。
04:04
I'm now going to save your ears
for the next short piece
for the next short piece
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現在我想替大家保養一下耳朵，
下面這個短片我用說的帶過去。
04:06
and talk over it.
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因為聽了一陣子之後
引擎聲音還真有點煩人。
引擎聲音還真有點煩人。
04:07
After a while, the jet engine
noise is a bit annoying.
noise is a bit annoying.
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也才沒幾個禮拜前的事情。
04:10
This is only a few weeks ago.
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04:11
You can see the stability and control
is really quite nice,
is really quite nice,
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你可以看到已經達到
不錯的穩定性和控制力，
不錯的穩定性和控制力，
04:14
and I'd like to think this somewhat
validates that starting hypothesis,
validates that starting hypothesis,
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我想這似乎驗證一開始的假設，
04:18
that the human mind and body,
if properly augmented in that way,
if properly augmented in that way,
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也就是人類身心的優勢
若能適切地加以擴增 ，
若能適切地加以擴增 ，
04:23
can achieve some pretty cool stuff.
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可以做到不少挺酷的事情。
我的意思是說：
04:24
I mean, like I said:
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我沒有想在這個階段
我該如何擺動我的手臂，
我該如何擺動我的手臂，
04:26
I'm not thinking about where
I'm moving my arms at that stage.
I'm moving my arms at that stage.
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04:29
I'm looking at the objective
of where I want to get to,
of where I want to get to,
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而是確立我想達到的目的地。
04:32
and a bit like riding a bike,
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這跟騎腳踏車有點類似，
04:34
my arms are just doing their thing.
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我們的雙臂僅是善盡本分。
04:36
It's a very strange experience.
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這是很奇特的經驗。
04:37
So where is all this headed?
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所以接下來一切會怎麼進行？
04:39
I'll talk over this landing --
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我要談的是我們想達到甚麼？
04:41
I think I land in this one.
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這也是我的重點。
04:43
Well, I don't think anybody's going
to go down to Walmart
to go down to Walmart
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我不認為有人會這樣飛去大賣場，
或沒多久後就穿戴
這種裝置帶小孩上學，
這種裝置帶小孩上學，
04:46
or take the kids to school
in any of this stuff for a while,
in any of this stuff for a while,
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04:49
but the team at Gravity are building
some awesome technology
some awesome technology
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但在重力飛行公司的小組
正在創建幾項優異的科技，
正在創建幾項優異的科技，
04:52
that's going to make
this look like child's play.
this look like child's play.
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能夠讓此一想法變得更有趣。
04:54
We're working on some things
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我們目前致力於幾項重點，
04:56
that will seek to bring
this unusual experience of flight
this unusual experience of flight
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期望能夠將非比尋常的飛行經驗，
04:58
to a wider audience, beyond the events
and displays we're doing.
and displays we're doing.
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超越現今的展示規模推廣給大眾。
我們甚至開始尋找
機長二號和三號，
機長二號和三號，
05:01
We're even starting to look
for pilots two and three,
for pilots two and three,
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05:04
if there's any volunteers.
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如果有志願者的話最好。
05:05
I've got this vision.
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我的願景是，
05:06
It sounds audacious,
but let's just stick it out there,
but let's just stick it out there,
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聽起來大膽
不過讓我們一起堅持到底，
不過讓我們一起堅持到底，
05:09
that one day maybe we can
rise up above a beach,
rise up above a beach,
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我希望有天我們能夠在沙灘上起飛，
05:11
fly up and down the coastline
of it, rise up a bit higher,
of it, rise up a bit higher,
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沿著海岸線自由高低
飛翔並且越飛越高，
飛翔並且越飛越高，
05:14
with some of the safety kit
we're working on to make this achievable.
we're working on to make this achievable.
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配合安全裝置
我們正朝此目標奮進。
我們正朝此目標奮進。
05:17
Then over the horizon comes
a Hercules with the ramp down.
a Hercules with the ramp down.
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然後大力士運輸機，出現在海平面。
05:20
As it comes past,
you start picking up speed
you start picking up speed
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當它從身旁飛過，你開始加速，
05:22
and see if we can intercept --
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看能不能攔截它，
而且是從後面不是前面
要不就會犯大錯──
要不就會犯大錯──
05:24
from the rear, not the front,
that would be a mistake --
that would be a mistake --
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05:26
and then try and land in the back.
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然後試著降落在運輸機上。
05:28
And as I say, that's a little
way off at the moment.
way off at the moment.
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如我所說距此夢想還有段距離。
05:31
But this is also, if I take
a big step back from this,
a big step back from this,
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但是這也是，若我退一步來說，
05:35
this is also a very
personal journey for me.
personal journey for me.
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這對我而言是段
充滿個人情感的旅程。
充滿個人情感的旅程。
05:39
Back to that lovely photo,
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回到這張美妙的照片，
05:41
or photo in a picture.
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或是圖像化的照片。
05:43
Sadly, my father took
his own life when I was 15,
his own life when I was 15,
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難過的是我父親
在我 15 歲那年自殺，
在我 15 歲那年自殺，
05:46
and left an awful lot
of unfulfilled ambition.
of unfulfilled ambition.
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徒留下一堆未盡之志。
05:49
He was a wonderful inventor,
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他是位很棒的發明家，
05:50
a maverick creator.
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獨排眾議的創造家。
05:52
And I'd just like to think,
if it was possible,
if it was possible,
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我在想如果有可能的話，
05:55
if he was looking down,
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如果他在天之靈有看到的話，
05:56
he would be --
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他會──
05:57
he'd certainly be smiling at some
of the things we've done here,
of the things we've done here,
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對我們現在做的事情
他臉上肯定會出現一抹微笑。
他臉上肯定會出現一抹微笑。
06:00
I think.
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我是這麼想的。
所以這是我對他致敬的方式。
06:02
So, it's a tribute to him.
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06:03
Thank you very much.
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謝謝各位。
06:04
(Applause)
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（掌聲）
06:08
(Voice-over) Richard Browning:
I'm probably more nervous
I'm probably more nervous
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（旁白）理查．布朗寧：
我可能對之後要做的示範，
我可能對之後要做的示範，
06:10
about doing the demo after this.
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感到更緊張。
06:12
I've got a lot of things
to get done today.
to get done today.
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我今天有好多事要做，
06:14
Worst-case scenario,
we don't get a clean start.
we don't get a clean start.
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最糟糕的狀況是
我們有個不順利的開始，
我們有個不順利的開始，
06:16
Or we get an unplanned failure
while I'm actually flying around.
while I'm actually flying around.
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或者當我真的開始飛後
出現意料之外的失敗。
出現意料之外的失敗。
06:19
This is why we keep it very low,
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這也是為何我們保持低飛。
06:21
so the worst is I just look like an idiot
and fall on my rear, as I said.
and fall on my rear, as I said.
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這樣我頂多看起來像個
跌坐在地的白癡而已。
跌坐在地的白癡而已。
若真的成功，你們將會很享受。
06:25
So you can all enjoy that if that happens.
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06:27
(Music)
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（音樂）
06:48
(Jet engine accelerates)
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（引擎加速聲）
07:06
(Cheers)
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（歡呼）
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Richard Browning - Founder, GravityRichard Browning is the founder of human propulsion technology startup Gravity, which has invented, built and patented a personal flight system.
Why you should listen
Richard Browning is an ultra-marathon runner, an ex-Royal Marine reservist, former City commodity trader and a pioneering inventor. He's the founder of Gravity, launched in March 2017 with a dream to reimagine an entirely new form of human flight, leaning on an elegant collaboration of mind and body augmented by leading-edge technology.
Gravity has to date been experienced by over a billion people globally with video views alone running at more than 60m within seven days of launch. Browning's vision is to build Gravity into a world-class aeronautical engineering business, challenge perceived boundaries in human aviation, and inspire a generation to dare ask ‘what if…’
Richard Browning | Speaker | TED.com