The future is now: Star Trek-like language translator debuts on the iPhone

If you’ve been taken aback by the Voice Search feature found in Google Mobile App for iPhone, a new app by Sakhr Software and Dial Directions will make you wonder if we’re in fact witnessing the birth of the first Star Trek-like universal language translator.

The iPhone application, currently in beta, translates Arabic speech into English, and vice versa. It has been especially crafted for US diplomats and troops who don’t speak Arabic, although something tells me it won’t be long until consumers get the same functionality, albeit with multiple languages support.

If the video below is any indication, Sakhr’s machine translator is more accurate than any existing language translator. It also appears to be years ahead of Google’s VoiceSearch.

The app works just like Google’s iPhone app: Simply hold down a button and speak aloud a sentence in English or Arabic. The software then beams a resulting voice sample up to the cloud, where voice recognition algorithms parse digital data into raw text. The text, along with a text-to-speech audio file, is sent back and displayed/played back on your device.

Sakhr’s server-based machine language translator is remarkably accurate. It recognizes and translates complex sentences, like “The prime minister will form a new government,” “Are there sufficient funds for the next school year,” or “Please take me to my hotel downtown.”

Sakhr Software also announced the acquisition of Dial Directions, a leading provider of voice-entry technology for mobile devices and services. The two companies have been co-operating on the creation of the Arabic<->English translator for the iPhone. Dial Directions specializes in voice-entry applications, while Sakhr makes hardware devices that translate Arabic words into English, and vice versa. Some of Sakhr’s key customers include the US Department of Defense, US Department of Homeland Security, and the US Department of Justice.

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Christian’s Opinion
This is more than just a noteworthy achievement - this app actually brings us one step closer to the universal language translator, as seen in Star Trek. If this smartphone translator is impressive enough for the US security and military agencies, it could certainly score high with regular consumers. There’s no indication of an App Store-friendly version yet, but I have no doubt in my mind that someone will make a version for general consumption.

Whichever way you look at it, instant, open speech translation on a smartphone is a game-changer. The key to seamless user experience is accuracy. If Sakhr’s app is any indication, we’re finally getting there. It’s a potential gold mine as well. Just think of it, a standalone translator app could offer language pairs for in-app purchase so you could, for example, buy a German<->English pair when you need it. Things like this would be indispensable when traveling abroad but it could be used for business as well.

Of course, don’t expect bed-time programmers to deliver the solution. Such a sophisticated machine translator requires scalable cloud infrastructure and high-tech know-how, both of which don’t come cheap. However, the opportunity is out there and someone will certainly seize it. The sooner, the better.

http://www.geek.com/articles/mobile/the-future-is-now-star-trek-like-language-translator-debuts-on-the-iphone-2009072/