The past year marked the rise of ChatGPT and other artificial intelligence (AI ) tools .
过去一年，ChatGPT和其他人工智能（AI）工具迅速崛起。
But here is a look back at some of the other noteworthy technology stories we covered in 2023 .
不过，下面我们来回顾2023年报道过的其他一些值得关注的科技新闻。
Both Apple and Google faced lawsuits accusing them of carrying out unfair business methods linked to their app stores .
苹果和谷歌都遭到起诉，被指控在其应用商店方面采取了不公平的商业手段。
The cases might cost the companies billions of dollars and change the way similar app stores do business .
这些案件可能让两家公司损失数十亿美元，并改变类似应用商店的经营方式。
A decision in the Google case was reached earlier this month when an American jury found Google's app store operates as an illegal monopoly .
本月初，谷歌案有了结果：美国一个陪审团认定谷歌的应用商店属于非法垄断。
The case was brought by video game company Epic Games .
该案是由电子游戏公司Epic Games提起的。
One of the main questions in the case was whether Google had the right to require app developers to use Google's app store's payment systems .
该案的主要问题之一是，谷歌是否有权要求应用开发者使用谷歌应用商店的支付系统。
The jury ruled Google's monopoly covered both its app selling system and payment processing within the app .
陪审团裁定，谷歌的垄断既包括其应用销售系统，也包括应用内的支付处理。
Google condemned the decision and appealed the ruling .
谷歌谴责这一裁决，并提出了上诉。
Epic brought a similar lawsuit against iPhone maker Apple that was decided in April .
Epic也对iPhone制造商苹果提起了类似的诉讼，该案已于4月判决。
In that case , a judge in California mostly sided with Apple .
在那起案件中，加州一名法官基本上站在了苹果一边。
But the judge did order Apple to permit developers to add their own links to process payments within iPhone apps .
但法官确实命令苹果允许开发者在iPhone应用内添加自己的支付链接。
The worldwide demand for electric vehicle (EV ) batteries continues to grow .
全球对电动汽车（EV）电池的需求持续增长。
But supplies of the materials used to make them are limited .
但制造电池所需材料的供应有限。
Currently , China controls most mining and processing of a group of 17 metals known as rare earths .
目前，中国控制着被称为稀土的17种金属的大部分开采和加工。
One of the main materials used to produce the batteries is lithium , a light metal substance .
生产电池的主要材料之一是锂，一种轻金属。
Other necessary materials include the metallic elements cobalt , manganese and nickel .
其他必需材料还包括钴、锰和镍等金属元素。
Even though some of the minerals are mined in nations outside China , Chinese companies still hold ownership over the operations .
尽管其中一些矿物在中国以外的国家开采，但这些开采业务仍归中国公司所有。
In February , U.S . President Joe Biden announced federal assistance programs to help companies mine and process lithium and other rare metals .
2月，美国总统乔·拜登宣布了联邦援助计划，帮助企业开采和加工锂及其他稀有金属。
Similar efforts were announced in other countries , including Britain and Germany .
英国和德国等其他国家也宣布了类似的举措。
In addition , major automakers said they were seeking new EV engine designs that are less dependent on rare earth minerals .
此外，各大汽车制造商表示，他们正在寻求对稀土矿物依赖较少的新型电动车电机设计。
EV market leader Tesla said it plans to remove rare earths from its next-generation EVs .
电动车市场领头羊特斯拉表示，计划在下一代电动车中不再使用稀土。
Other automakers said they are in the process of researching or developing EV motors that use little or no rare earth minerals .
其他汽车制造商表示，他们正在研究或开发很少使用或完全不用稀土矿物的电动车电机。
These include General Motors , Jaguar Land Rover , and BMW .
其中包括通用汽车、捷豹路虎和宝马。
We covered several developments involving robotic systems .
我们还报道了与机器人系统有关的几项进展。
A team of American researchers announced it had built a human-like robot that can play soccer at a high level .
一个美国研究团队宣布，他们制造出了一款能高水平踢足球的人形机器人。
The robot , named ARTEMIS , is one of only a few humanoid robots that can run .
这款名为ARTEMIS的机器人是为数不多能够奔跑的人形机器人之一。
It also can walk and jump on different kinds of surfaces without losing its balance .
它还能在各种地面上行走和跳跃而不失去平衡。
The robot also can kick a ball and remain standing even when kicked or hit , the team said .
团队表示，这款机器人还能踢球，即使被踢或被撞也能保持站立。
In Germany , many companies – large and small – turned to robots to fill jobs as the country faced a severe labor shortage .
在德国，由于面临严重的劳动力短缺，许多大大小小的公司都转而用机器人来填补岗位空缺。
Experts say increasing robotic operations are a sign that robots have become easier to use , with no special skills required .
专家表示，机器人作业的增加表明机器人已经变得更容易使用，不需要特殊技能。
Police said the victim was an employee of a company that deploys industrial robots to businesses .
警方说，受害者是一家为企业部署工业机器人的公司的员工。
NASA even tested a snake-like explorer designed to search for signs of life in hard-to-reach places .
美国宇航局甚至测试了一款蛇形探测器，用于在难以到达的地方寻找生命迹象。
The American space agency said the robot is equipped to move in ways that traditional explorer vehicles , called rovers , cannot .
美国宇航局表示，这款机器人能以传统探测车（也就是“漫游车”）做不到的方式移动。
In the future , NASA plans to send the robot to space to search for signs of life in an underground ocean on Saturn's moon Enceladus .
未来，美国宇航局计划把这款机器人送入太空，在土星卫星土卫二的地下海洋中寻找生命迹象。