'Pilot' Real-Time Language Translating Earpiece Tops $1 Million in Funding

[CFreymarc]

This is a great idea, but it for it to be successful the lag can't be too much.

Quite honestly, there is a huge consumer liability here with mistranslation and consequences of language with meaning lost.

Eastern languages have inflections that can totally change word meaning. Many cultures use metaphores that will have no or misunderstood meaning when translated.

This may be good for asking directions, ordering a meal or talking to public servings. However it would suck for going to an opera, flirting on a date and public debate.

 

[Jsameds]

 

[riverfreak]

The fun is actually in learning and using a foreign language, not listening to robot translations.

Or programming the robot.

No kidding. What a boring world we will live in when everyone listens to the same music, eats the same food, and speaks the same language.

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

Did you miss the part of the video where he explains holding the phone hinders natural communication? the earpiece allows for true "handsfree" communication.

No - I skipped over the video. I figured the text article covered all the major points.

Even so... I disagree. No matter what you do, I don't think it's going to be possible to make it so that having a translator involved is going to be as seamless as just speaking the same language. But that seam doesn't seem like a big deal - whatever gain you get from this special earbud doesn't seem worth a $200 price tag.

 

[cube]

No kidding. What a boring world we will live in when everyone listens to the same music, eats the same food, and speaks the same language.

And listening to people's own voices robot translated and synthesized will be even worse than if everybody speaks the same language.

 

[AlliFlowers]

This will be great if all you want to do is order food, go shopping, or take public transportation.

There are too many cultural references built into any language, and FAR too many idiomatic expressions to make this work.

 

[cube]

Why is this not called Babelfish?!!

Because Babelfish has a wireless fish to brain interface that does not involve sound.

 

[AsherN]

Dude.... no man will ever understand women. Just nod and say "yes dear" like the rest of us.

I manage to regularly say "No, dear".
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Every time we are going out and she says to me "you're not wearing that, are you?"

 

[C DM]

No kidding. What a boring world we will live in when everyone listens to the same music, eats the same food, and speaks the same language.

Not really the kind of thing that this is for.