100多年來，電梯一直都是沿直線向上或者向下運行的。現在這種局面要改變了。英國倫敦城市大學的杰克·列維教授發明出了可以“拐彎”的電梯，這種以其發明者命名的“列維梯”可隨意沿彎道運行。因為“列維梯”上有弧度的樓梯很像回轉壽司餐廳的傳送帶，所以人們也叫它“壽司梯”。跟傳統的電梯相比，“壽司梯”有以下幾點優勢：傳統的手扶電梯需要兩個單獨的環形傳動帶，不僅造價高，而且傳動帶通常只有一半在使用。而“壽司梯”只需要一個環形傳動帶，成本低廉且便于清理；另外，傳統電梯臺階和墻壁之間有縫隙，總會有東西或者是人不小心被卡住，而“壽司梯”則不存在這種問題。該電梯的設計已經在英國、歐洲、美國和中國申請了專利，預計2012年年中我們就可以在公共建筑和商場里見到這種電梯了。

The Levytator, named after its inventor Jack Levy, is the world's first escalator capable of following free-form curves

For more than 100 years the escalator has traditionally travelled either up or down and in a straight line.

But all that is set to change thanks to a revolutionary new design that is being hailed as the future of escalator travel.

The Levytator, named after its inventor Jack Levy, professor of mechanical engineering at City University in London, is the world's first escalator capable of following free-form curves.

It is already being nicknamed the 'Sushi-lator' because of its curved modules, which resemble the conveyor belts used to deliver food in trendy Japanese restaurants.

These curved steps allow it to twist, bend and snake around corners in a continuous loop, all with passengers on board.

All of which means architects can create escalators in any shape they want, whether as a conveyor belt around a department store, a ride around a theme park or, more simply, placed on top of an existing staircase.

The popularity of the imaginative design is clear. A YouTube video showing how the Levytator works has gone viral with more than 230,000 hits since it was first posted in September.

The inspiration for the free-form escalator's design came to Professor Levy while travelling around the London Underground. 'I wondered why the escalators had to be straight,' he told The Independent. 'Sometimes it's really convenient to go round a corner.'

The traditional escalator works by turning the steps upside down and looping them underneath the staircase to take them back to the start. Half the steps are therefore hidden away and never 'in use'.

Furthermore, the 'up' and 'down' escalators require two separate loops, each costing around ￡100,000 each.

The Levytator, on the other hand, has one single loop, making it a cheaper proposition because fewer steps are required.

This works because when they reach the top, the steps disappear under the floor and then reappear for the downward journey.

The design also means repairs can be carried out from above, avoiding the weeks and months it currently takes to fix faulty escalators.

Professor Levy said: 'Traditional escalators developed topsy-turvy, but we're starting with a clean sheet of paper.'

Safety is another factor that is likely to appeal to architects the world over - the Levytator has no gap between the stairs and the walls where people and things have for years become jammed.

Professor Levy said: 'Worldwide, there are 10,000 accidents on escalators every year, including several deaths. On two occasions I've seen people piling up at the bottom of an escalator and had to press the emergency stop button.'

His design has already been patented in the UK, Europe, the US and China and Levytators could be cropping up in public buildings and shopping centres by mid-2012.

The first escalator in Britain was installed in Harrods department store in Knightsbridge, London, in 1898, two years after it was invented in the US.

(Agencies)

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