In the Future, Robopets Won't Be Far-Fetched
未来的宠物会是什么样？
An animal behaviorist ponders a future where some Spots are robots. Larry Greenemeier reports
一名动物行为学家设想了一个奇妙的场景，在未来，宠物的概念或许要被重新定义。
撰文/播音 拉里·格林迈耶（Larry Greenemeier）
翻译 李轩
The advent of smartphones, social media and other technologies have altered the way people interact with each other. Just watch a group of people out for a meal together, all on their phones texting people who aren’t there.
智能手机、社交媒体以及其他科技极大的改变了人与人之间的交流方式。瞧那一伙一起去吃饭的人，全都在给不在那里的人发消息。
Technology may also be poised to change the way we relate to animals—by removing the living, breathing ones from our homes. The main threat to pets is not social media, per se, but rather robots and virtual FarmVille-like animals.
科技也许也在改变着我们与宠物之间的联系方式——将来我们可能会把有生命的东西全移出我们的生活。不过本质上来说，宠物所面临的主要威胁并不是来自于社交媒体，而是来自于机器人及类似于开心农场中那样的虚拟宠物。
These inanimate objects of our affection are certainly easier to care for than are the real ones. And they still might someday meet their owners’ needs for companionship, love, obedience and dependence. That’s according to University of Melbourne animal behavior researcher Jean-Loup Rault, writing in the journal Frontiers in Veterinary Science. [Jean-Loup Rault, Pets in the digital age: live, robot, or virtual?]
我们偏爱这些没有生命的东西，是因为它们比真实的宠物更易于照顾。并且它们尽早有一天会满足它们主人对陪伴、爱、顺从与依赖的需求，墨尔本大学动物行为学研究员珍?卢?劳尔特（Jean-Loup Rault）在《兽医科学前沿》期刊上如是写道。
The infiltration of fake pets is already happening to a small degree. In Japan, some owners of Sony’s AIBO robotic dog even hold funerals when these devices are beyond repair.
伪宠物的渗透已经初露端倪。在日本，一些索尼爱宝机器狗的拥有者甚至将其带入葬礼，即使它们以经无法再修了。
Our concept of a pet gets shaped at an early age. Previous generations born and bred with dogs and cats might dismiss robopets as mere toys. But children of the digital age, raised on touchscreens and online games, might see things differently. One can imagine a future fake-dog owner breathlessly asking his vet technician: is Fido dead, or is it just his battery?
我们对于宠物的概念形成于以前的年代。与真的猫猫狗狗们生活的前代人只会把机器宠物作为玩具。但生活在数字时代的孩子，他们在触屏与网络游戏中长大，或许会有不同看法。我们或许可以想像出将来的一个场景：一个假狗的主人不断地询问宠物技工：菲多是死了，还是没电了？
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