内容正文:
Unit 3 The world online
Ⅰ.阅读理解
A
British shoppers buy 2.15 million tonnes of clothing and shoes annually, yet UK citizens have an estimated £30 billion worth of unused clothing gathering dust at the back of the wardrobe(衣柜). But new technology could see the end of that, with the garments themselves giving owners a gentle reminder of their existence.
“Smart clothes” could help us clear out our drawers by sending messages or tweeting us if they haven't been worn for a good while. If these alerts are ignored, the garments will get in touch with a clothing charity and ask to be reused, with an organization automatically sending out donation information. They could also be programmed to put themselves up for auction(拍卖) on eBay.
Academics at Birmingham City University are developing the “connected wardrobe” to encourage more suitable clothes consumption. The concept sees garments tagged(给……加标签) using washable contactless technology, known as radiofrequency identification.
Mark Brill, senior lecturer at Birmingham City, said: “Think of the surprise when an owner suddenly receives bids for items they didn't know were in their wardrobe”.
“The connected wardrobe is a practical, pleasant concept to encourage people to think about their clothing consumption. Finally, I hope it will encourage more appropriate fashion consumption,” He added, “Perhaps we can even move away from the idea of ‘ownership’ of clothing. When we've worn them enough, the items will pass themselves on to their next keeper to wear.”
It follows in the footsteps of the “Internet of Things” — a concept that sees ordinary household items connecting to the Internet in order to share information. From adjusting your alarm clock to monitoring the temperature of your home, the Internet is changing the way we live.
Now, the “Internet of Clothes” will see that neglected garments will tweet and text the owners “asking” to be worn depending on the weather and frequency of wear. Clothes will keep track of other in