Translation Goggles
Carnegie Mellon University and German scientists has introduced the technology that makes it possible to speak one language, yet be understood in another.
The translation which only be available probably in a decade away indeed has big potential to bride the language divide by countries and cultures.
Alex Waibel, who directs the International Center for Advanced Communication Technologies, or interACT demostrated the prototype of the translator by having CMU computer science graduate student stood before the audience with 11 tiny electrodes affixed to the muscles of his cheeks, neck and throat.
The Taiwan native then mouthed — without speaking aloud — the following phrase in Mandarin Chinese: “Let me introduce our new prototype.”
The sensors captured electrical signals from Jou’s facial muscles when they moved to form the silent Chinese words. In a matter of seconds, this information traveled to a computer that recognized the words and translated them into English and Spanish. The phrase was then displayed on a screen and spoken by the computer in both languages.
How cool is that ?
Filed under: Travel Gears & Gadgets