TED2009
John La Grou: A plug for smart power outlets
約翰.拉古的智慧型插座
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約翰拉古在影片中發表了一項精巧的科技產品，就是利用微處理器與電子標籤讓家裡的插座變得更「聰明」。這項發明不但能避免家庭火警的發生，還可以達到節能的效果。
John La Grou - Inventor
John La Grou, a long-time electronics inventor, audio designer and entrepreneur, wants to save lives (and energy) with a new, smarter type of electrical outlet. Full bio
John La Grou, a long-time electronics inventor, audio designer and entrepreneur, wants to save lives (and energy) with a new, smarter type of electrical outlet. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:18
This is a world-changing invention.
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這是個足以改變世界的發明
00:21
The smoke alarm has saved perhaps hundreds of thousands
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煙霧偵測器在全世界
00:24
of lives, worldwide.
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拯救了上千萬條生命
00:26
But smoke alarms don't prevent fires.
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但它們並不能預防火災的發生
00:30
Every year in the USA, over 20,000 are killed or injured
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在美國 每年有三十五萬起家庭火警
00:33
with 350,000 home fires.
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造成兩萬人受傷 甚至喪命
00:35
And one of the main causes of all these fires is electricity.
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最主要的一項原因 是電線走火
00:39
What if we could prevent electrical fires
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如果我們能夠預防
00:42
before they start?
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那該會有多好
00:44
Well, a couple of friends and I figured out how to do this.
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有幾個朋友和我想出了一個辦法
00:47
So how does electricity ignite residential fires?
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造成電線走火的原因是什麼?
00:51
Well it turns out that the main causes
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最主要的原因
00:53
are faulty and misused appliances and electrical wiring.
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來自於線路 和電器的不當使用
00:56
Our invention had to address all of these issues.
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我們的發明 能夠解決這些問題
01:00
So what about circuit breakers?
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那斷路器呢?
01:02
Well, Thomas Edison invented the circuit breaker in 1879.
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愛迪生在1879年發明了斷路器
01:06
This is 130-year-old technology,
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這是個有了130年歷史的科技
01:09
and this is a problem, because over 80 percent
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而這也是個問題
01:12
of all home electrical fires
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有百分之80的家庭火警
01:14
start below the safety threshold of circuit breakers.
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發生於斷路器偵測到之前
01:17
Hmmm ...
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嗯...
01:19
So we considered all of this. And we realized
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經過思考 我們了解到
01:21
that electrical appliances
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電器用品
01:23
must be able to communicate directly
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必須能夠和電容器
01:25
with the power receptacle itself.
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產生即時的反應
01:27
Any electrical device -- an appliance, an extension cord, whatever --
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任何的電器用品 家電 延長線等等
01:31
must be able to tell the power outlet,
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必須能夠通知插座
01:33
"Hey, power outlet,
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"嘿 插座"
01:35
I'm drawing too much current. Shut me off now, before I start a fire."
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"電流太多了! 在我起火之前趕快關掉!"
01:39
And the power outlet needs to be smart enough to do it.
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而插座也要能夠有所反應
01:43
So here is what we did. We put a 10-cent digital transponder,
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我們在電器用品的插頭中
01:48
a data tag, in the appliance plug.
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放置了一個數位轉換器和數據標籤
01:51
And we put an inexpensive, wireless data reader inside the receptacle
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並在電容器中 裝置了一個無線的數據讀取器
01:55
so they could communicate.
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所以它們能夠做出即時的反應
01:57
Now, every home electrical system
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現在 家中的每個電路系統
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becomes an intelligent network.
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成為了一套智慧型的網路
02:02
The appliance's safe operating parameters
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電器用品的安全電量範圍
02:04
are embedded into its plug.
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由數據標籤掌控
02:07
If too much current is flowing,
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如果電流過量的話
02:09
the intelligent receptacle turns itself off,
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這種智慧型的電容器將會自行關閉
02:11
and prevents another fire from starting.
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來避免電線走火
02:14
We call this technology EFCI,
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我們把這項技術稱為EFCI
02:16
Electrical Fault Circuit Interrupter.
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電氣異常斷路器
02:19
Okay, two more points. Every year in the USA,
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還有兩件事 每年在美國
02:21
roughly 2,500 children
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約有2500名孩童
02:24
are admitted to emergency rooms for shock and burn injuries
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因為電器的關係 而造成休克 燒傷
02:27
related to electrical receptacles. And this is crazy.
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而被送進急診室 這真是太糟糕了
02:31
An intelligent receptacle prevents injuries
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而智慧型的電容器能夠防止這些傷害
02:34
because the power is always off,
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因為一旦電流過量
02:36
until an intelligent plug is detected. Simple.
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電源就馬上被切斷了 就是這麼簡單
02:40
Now, besides saving lives,
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現在 除了提供安全之外
02:42
perhaps the greatest benefit of intelligent power
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這項技術最大的好處就是
02:44
is in its energy savings.
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能夠節省能源
02:46
This invention will reduce global energy consumption
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這項發明
02:49
by allowing remote control and automation
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能夠從遠端遙控和自動控制
02:52
of every outlet in every home and business.
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家裡和公司中的任何一個插座
02:55
Now you can choose to reduce your home energy bill
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現在你可以使家裡高耗能的家電如冷氣 暖氣
02:58
by automatically cycling heavy loads
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自動循環
03:00
like air conditioners and heaters.
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來省下許多電費
03:03
Hotels and businesses can shut down unused rooms
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飯店或是公司可以從中央控制系統或是手機
03:06
from a central location, or even a cell phone.
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關掉沒人房間的電源
03:09
There are 10 billion electrical outlets
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光是在北美地區
03:12
in North America alone.
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就有100億個插座
03:14
The potential energy savings is very, very significant.
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因此節約能源是非常重要的
03:18
So far we've applied for 414 patent claims.
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我們申請了414項專利
03:22
Of those, 186 have been granted:
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其中有186項已被批准
03:25
228 are in process.
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228項正在審核當中
03:27
And I'm pleased to announce that just three weeks ago
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另外 我很高興能夠宣布說
03:30
we received our first international recognition,
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在三個禮拜之前 我們得到了我們第一項的國際認證
03:33
the 2009 CES Innovation Award.
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2009CES創新獎
03:37
So, to conclude,
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所以 總而言之
03:39
intelligent power can, globally, save thousands of lives,
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以智慧型的方式管理電器 能夠拯救許多生命
03:43
prevent tens of thousands of injuries,
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和預防傷亡
03:45
and eliminate tens of billions of dollars in property damage
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並在每一年之中
03:49
every single year,
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減少許多財物損失
03:51
while significantly reducing global energy consumption.
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還能同時減少能源消耗
03:54
In the spirit of this year's TED Conference,
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我們這項發明
03:56
we think this is a powerful, world-changing invention.
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符合了今年TED會議的精神
03:59
And I'd like to thank Chris for this opportunity
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另外我還要謝謝Chris
04:02
to unveil our technology with you, and soon the world.
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讓我們有機會和大家分享我們的發明
04:05
Thank you.
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謝謝!
04:06
(Applause)
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(掌聲)
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
John La Grou - InventorJohn La Grou, a long-time electronics inventor, audio designer and entrepreneur, wants to save lives (and energy) with a new, smarter type of electrical outlet.
Why you should listen
John La Grou is a patent holder and research engineer on Safeplug, a new brand of electrical fault circuit interrupters. The Safeplug technology, which combines microprocessors in power outlets and RFID tags in electrical plugs, might just represent the next generation in residential and commercial electrical delivery. Besides conserving massive amounts of energy, Safeplug promises to save lives and prevent injuries by making the electrical systems in our homes "smart."
La Grou is also CEO of Millennia Group, an audio design and manufacturing company that produces audio components held as the gold standard among professional musicians and producers.
John La Grou | Speaker | TED.com