Buzz
ViA's new wearable language translator will resemble its ViA II wearable computer, as shown in the image below.
Image courtesy of ViAHow many languages can you speak aside from your native tongue? Perhaps one, maybe two. The majority of people don't speak a second language, while some are multilingual. Pope John Paul II was fluent in 10 languages, and some claim to know dozens. However, even if you speak 100 languages, it’s still only a tiny fraction of the over 6,000 languages in existence. This diversity can create challenges when trying to communicate with someone who doesn’t share a common language with you.
Fans of "Star Trek" are familiar with the fictional universal translators that the show’s creators designed to solve the communication barrier of multiple languages. ViA, a wearable tech company, has developed a real-world language translator that will be released later this year for the U.S. military and English-speaking consumers.
This article will dive into the details of the device and explore how it converts English into nearly a dozen different languages.
Hardware of the Universal Translator
The ViA universal translator device will closely resemble the company’s wearable computer, ViA II. It’s about the size of two decks of playing cards and features two halves joined by a flexible joint. Weighing 1.38 pounds (0.63 kg), the ViA II is a fully operational PC that can be worn on the user’s belt or tucked into a jacket pocket. With dimensions of 9.75 inches (24.77 cm) in length, 3.13 inches (7.95 cm) in width, and 1.25 inches (3.18 cm) in thickness, this device packs impressive power in a compact form.
The universal translator will be powered by a 600 megahertz microprocessor and operate on the Windows 2000 operating system. ViA II works seamlessly with either a keyboard or voice recognition software, the latter of which has enabled ViA to transform the wearable PC into a language-translating device. Below are the key components of the wearable device:
- Microphone - available as either handheld or headset
- Speaker - integrated into the front of the device
- Hard disk drive - Expected to be a 2.5-inch (6.36 cm) IBM hard drive. Storage capacity has not yet been confirmed, but the current ViA II comes with a 6.2 gigabyte hard drive.
- Power controls - Positioned on the top right side of the device
- Battery connector - connects to a rechargeable lithium-ion battery pack
- PC card slot access - Offers two expansion slots for Type II PC cards or one Type III PC card
- USB port - Facilitates peripheral device connection to the ViA device
- AC/DC jack - Can be plugged into a home outlet or car adapter
- Integrated I/O jack - Used to connect digital displays
- Heat sink - A magnesium alloy embedded in the device to dissipate heat from the processor.
While ViA has yet to reveal the official name of the device, it has confirmed that the automatic translator will be available in the fall of 2001, priced between $5,000 and $10,000. So, how exactly does this wearable device recognize voices, comprehend the speech, and then translate it into another language?
Languages in a Box
Development of ViA's universal translator began around two years ago, inspired by the need for effective communication in critical, life-threatening situations. Robert Palmquist, ViA’s vice president of innovative technology, recalled a tragic event that motivated the project: a fire in St. Paul, MN, where language barriers led to multiple fatalities. Firefighters struggled to communicate with non-English speaking residents, causing them to mistakenly walk into the fire while attempting to flee. If a translating device had been available, the outcome might have been different.
At present, the device is designed for English-speaking users, as ViA's primary target audience consists of English speakers. Here's how the device operates:
- The device uses voice recognition software to detect when the user speaks.
- A tailored speech and translation engine processes what’s being said and translates it accordingly.
- Within five seconds after the English speaker finishes, the translated speech is output by the device’s speaker for near-instant translation.
- Any responses from the person the user is speaking to will be translated back into English, enabling bidirectional translation.
Initially, the device will be capable of translating English into about a dozen languages, including Korean, Serbian, Arabic, Thai, Mandarin Chinese, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish. While the device won’t provide word-for-word translations, it will effectively convey the overall meaning. The device is highly intelligent, accommodating variations in English accents—such as the differences between Houston and Boston accents. Additionally, it features a dictionary stacking function, allowing users to add specific jargon and slang to its pre-installed dictionary.
The value of this device was immediately recognized by the U.S. Office of Naval Research (ONR), which provided funding for ViA to develop the automatic translator. Joel Davis, program director at ONR, noted that the device could replace human translators, who are costly to train and whose expertise tends to fade over time. According to Davis, one translator would be assigned to a group of 12 soldiers in the field, enabling basic verbal communication with local residents.
A wearable translator would serve not only the military but also benefit tourists, airport staff, phone operators, and customs and border agents. In the future, it's possible that everyone may wear a small, portable translator to eliminate one of the largest obstacles to cross-cultural communication.
