Google Bridges Language Barrier Across the World with Language Translator for Mobile Phones
February 9, 2010
The passion for innovation and the unceasing commitment to foster the world of communication is evident in every leap made by Google. Successively, Google keeps giving us something to rope in. The latest one, on what we got lured was Google Nexus One. Before the dust stirred by Nexus One settles, here comes another- the Language Translator for mobile phones!
Google is developing a software for mobile phones that can translate the speech in any languages in real-time. With the development of this technology, two people of different languages can converse over the mobile phone in their own languages, without the need to speak in the same language. The Google’s language translator will take care of the rest. The process is in the beginning stage and Google expects the basic version of it to get released in a couple of years.
Google’s Language Translator will transform the communication world altogether. If the software works well, then Google translator will transform around 6000 languages currently existing in the world. This can bridge the language barrier across the world.
However, this is not an altogether new technology. Google has already tried this is in computers. The language translator in the computer is now capable to translate around 52 languages, and it scans the whole documents and multi-lingual websites for the purpose. Google has also launched a voice recognition search, which enables the mobile phone users to conduct search by speaking commands, rather than by typing the keywords.
Now, Google blends these two technologies together. The new developing software is intended to listen to the speaker’s voice, interprets the meanings and phrases, and then translates them. In simple words, it analyses the package of the speech and translates them.
The Challenge:
The real challenge lies here is that, the voice, the accent and the pitch differ according to people. Everyone has there own style of speaking. Can a machine recognize and interpret the exact meaning as he said?
“At the moment, no system in the world can handle the accent change accurately.”, says David Crystal, a Professor of Linguistic at Bangor University. Many experts believe that the live translation of the voice has to overcome plenty of hurdles before it becomes a reality. “May be the Google can do it faster, but its is hard to believe that the mobile phones can understand a full language slang at a go.”
What Google has to say?
Franz Och, Head of Translation Services in Google, believes that the speech-to-speech translation is possible. “You need a blend of highly accurate machine and voice recognition technology, for this to be possible. That’s what we are working on.”, he says.
Enumerating the methods of possibility, he agrees that the changes in accent is a challenge. But, according to him, the mobile phone is personal by nature. Hence, the mobile phone must get the feel of the user’s voice, from its past usage. The more you use, the more it becomes familiar; hence, more accurate as well. Unlike the usual language translators, Google is not stressing on the tough grammar rules of the languages, instead it make use of the translated documents of the websites to enhance this system. “The more we input, the better the quality”, Mr. Och says.
Conclusion:
Whatsoever, the future seems interesting. Will this system eradicate the need of a common language? Now, English enjoys the designation of being the common language among the masses. But, with the launch of a language translator in mobile phones, a need will not arise for the people to speak in one common language. Will this system deteriorate the importance of English? Speak out your opinion through comments.
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