From VOA Learning English, this is the Technology Report.
美国之音，英语教学，这里是科技报道!
There are increasing calls for lawmakers to reconsider copyright laws that protect the owners of 3-D printing designs. But there is also concern that extensive laws could suppress new ideas. 3-D printers have spread from scientific labs to industrial workshops to private homes. And prices of 3-D printers continue to drop.
越来越多的人呼吁立法者重新考虑版权法，以保护3D打印技术的版权所有人。但也有人考虑过度的法律会限制新的想法的诞生。3D打印机被广泛应用于科学实验室，工厂以及家庭。3D打印机的价格也在持续下降。
Designers demonstrate a large number of different machines at 3-D print shows. There are models that can produce complex copies of human organs. There are less costly 3-D printers that make toys for children or parts for home electrical devices.
在3D打印展上，设计者展出大量各不相同的机器。有些可以制造复杂的人类器官。还有些相对便宜的可以制造孩子的玩具或者家用电器的零部件。
One German automaker recently demonstrated an example of a car structure printed in one piece. And a Chinese manufacturer advertised a house created in a 3-D printer.
一家德国汽车制造商最近展示了一体打印的一种汽车部件。而一家中国制造商在宣传一种3D打印机造出来的房子。
With the help of computer, almost anyone can print exact copies of many kinds of objects. But they also violate the law in doing so.
有了电脑的帮助，几乎每个人都可以精准制作出许多物品的复件。但是这样做是违背法律的!
Julie Samuels is a lawyer with the civil liberties group, Electronic Frontier Foundation. She says people should be careful about what they create when using 3-D printers.
Julie Samuels是电子前沿基金会的律师，这是一家公民自由组织。她说，人们在使用3D打印机的时候，应当注意自己是在打印什么。
"If a certain design that you want to print is covered by copyright, then if you print that you are infringing, arguably, someone's copyright," said Julie Samuels.
“如果你想要打印的东西有某种设计版权，那么你的行为就是侵犯他人的著作权。”
But 3-D companies are concerned about passing more restrictive copyright protection laws. They think these laws could place bans on the rights of citizens. They also believe restrictive copyright laws could suppress technological invention.
但各3D技术公司担心会通过更严格的版权保护法。他们认为这些法律会限制公民的权利。他们还认为，过于严格的版权法会限制技术发明。
Cydni Tetro is the founder of the website 3DPlus.me. She says she expects to see special permission documents for 3-D printing very soon.
Cydni Tetro是3DPlus.me这家网站的创始人。她表示自己希望很快就可以看到对3D打印的特别许可文件。
"All of those companies are in very active engagements right now about how they'll deploy 3-D printed products over the next year, and we're going to see that," said Tetro.
Tetro说到“所有那些公司都在就明年如何部署他们的产品进行积极协商，我们拭目以待!”
Diego Porqueras designs 3-D printers. He says owners of 3-D printers and copyright owners should reach an agreement.
Diego Porqueras参与设计3D打印机。他表示3D打印机所有者与其版权所有者应当达成一项协议。
"If companies really take advantage of that and just charge nominal fees to download your favorite character off 'Star Wars' and 3-D print it, I think that's going to prevent a lot more piracy," said Porqueras.
Porqueras 说“如 果真正利用这些优势，只要象征性付费就能从《星球大战》下载自己喜欢的角色并打印出来，我认为这将能阻止很多盗版。”
The lack of legislation related to 3-D printing will not stop the technology from spreading, but experts say they hope new laws will not punish people for printing a copy of something for their personal use.
3D打印技术相关立法的缺失不会使这项技术停止传播，但是专家表示他们希望新的律法不会去惩罚那些打印一些东西自己用的人。
And that's the VOA Learning English Technology Report. For more technology stories, visit our website chinavoa.com。
这就是美国之音英语教学的科技报道。想了解更多相关信息，访问我们的网站chinavoa.com。
（本文转自chinavoa.com）
 

Legal Aspects of 3-D Printing

From VOA Learning English, this is the Technology Report.

There are increasing calls for lawmakers to reconsider copyright laws that protect the owners of 3-D printing designs. But there is also concern that extensive laws could suppress new ideas. 3-D printers have spread from scientific labs to industrial workshops to private homes. And prices of 3-D printers continue to drop.

Designers demonstrate a large number of different machines at 3-D print shows. There are models that can produce complex copies of human organs. There are less costly 3-D printers that make toys for children or parts for home electrical devices.

One German automaker recently demonstrated an example of a car structure printed in one piece. And a Chinese manufacturer advertised a house created in a 3-D printer.

With the help of computer, almost anyone can print exact copies of many kinds of objects. But they also violate the law in doing so.

Julie Samuels is a lawyer with the civil liberties group, Electronic Frontier Foundation. She says people should be careful about what they create when using 3-D printers.

"If a certain design that you want to print is covered by copyright, then if you print that you are infringing, arguably, someone's copyright," said Julie Samuels.

But 3-D companies are concerned about passing more restrictive copyright protection laws. They think these laws could place bans on the rights of citizens. They also believe restrictive copyright laws could suppress technological invention.

Cydni Tetro is the founder of the website 3DPlus.me. She says she expects to see special permission documents for 3-D printing very soon.

"All of those companies are in very active engagements right now about how they'll deploy 3-D printed products over the next year, and we're going to see that," said Tetro.

Diego Porqueras designs 3-D printers. He says owners of 3-D printers and copyright owners should reach an agreement.

"If companies really take advantage of that and just charge nominal fees to download your favorite character off 'Star Wars' and 3-D print it, I think that's going to prevent a lot more piracy," said Porqueras.

The lack of legislation related to 3-D printing will not stop the technology from spreading, but experts say they hope new laws will not punish people for printing a copy of something for their personal use.

And that's the VOA Learning English Technology Report. For more technology stories, visit our website chinavoa.com, I'm Jonathan Evans.