Not Just Sci-Fi: Microsoft Working on Universal Translator

[exfileme]

Soon the universal translator won't be mere science fiction thanks to Microsoft.

Not Just Sci-Fi: Microsoft Working on Universal Translator : Read more

 

[Lord Captivus]

Awesome!
Dont care if this is a Windows Phone-only feature. At the end we will all have it.
Everything thats makes information go from one person to the other faster is good news for the world.
PS: Is it also a Lightsaber?

 

[thrasher32]

[citation][nom]eternalobserver[/nom]why does it look like a dildo ???[/citation]

It has more than one function LMAO

 

[inanition02]

Anyone else see the irony/find it funny that Soong is working on this Star Trek tech?

 

[adbat]

Um hasn't google done it already last year they made a live demo on android.

 

[hardcore_gamer]

[citation][nom]adbat[/nom]Um hasn't google done it already last year they made a live demo on android.[/citation]

Yes, but that one doesn't have the additional functionality of a dildo. Microsoft outsmarted google

 

[sporkimus]

Ok, maybe I'm not understanding this completely. So you spend an hour training the device to understand your voice so that it can speak to people in a foreign language. Now how exactly are you supposed to understand the other person that is replying to you?

 

[freggo]

[citation][nom]eternalobserver[/nom]why does it look like a dildo ???[/citation]

For those who are multitasking

 

[Guest]

Hey....folks...thats a screencap from a star trek episode. And I'm not even a trekkie...

 

[bystander]

[citation][nom]sporkimus[/nom]Ok, maybe I'm not understanding this completely. So you spend an hour training the device to understand your voice so that it can speak to people in a foreign language. Now how exactly are you supposed to understand the other person that is replying to you?[/citation]
It'll still translate the words, but it won't properly match the voice, tone and intonation of the other persons voice. The other person will hear those differences from you, however.

 

[fakie]

Microsoft's chief research and strategy officer, did the same, only his translation was Mandarian.

Mandarian??

I want one that translates into Quenya/Sindarin/Black Speech

 

[NivenFres]

[citation][nom]Inanition02[/nom]Anyone else see the irony/find it funny that Soong is working on this Star Trek tech?[/citation]

Is it sad, that that was the first thing that came to my mind when reading this as well?

 

[molo9000]

Don't want to to be a party pooper, but the universal translator in Star Trek is called universal, because it can even translate previously unknown languages.
You won't be able to talk to delta quadrant aliens on first contact with Microsoft's translator

 

[g00fysmiley]

when can i pick up my babblefish?

until then this would be quite helpful

 

[COLGeek]

[citation][nom]eternalobserver[/nom]why does it look like a dildo ???[/citation]
So you slide it in right next to your head? Think about it....

Sorry, you walked right into that one. Peace!

 

[shin0bi272]

As soon as the implant chip is ready I'll be the first in line.

@Molo9000 I think it was in star trek enterprise (I didnt really watch that series much) where they said that the universal translator had to hear the language for a few sentences and it worked out the basics from that and improved over time.

 

[bystander]

[citation][nom]molo9000[/nom]Don't want to to be a party pooper, but the universal translator in Star Trek is called universal, because it can even translate previously unknown languages.You won't be able to talk to delta quadrant aliens on first contact with Microsoft's translator[/citation]
Nope, but there are people working on that type of technology now. It hasn't developed very far, but there is a guy that has been able to take any random noises and test if it's random or if it is a language (his technique shows dolphins as using a language, btw). Maybe in time that will be possible.

 

[zak_mckraken]

[citation][nom]fakie[/nom]Microsoft's chief research and strategy officer, did the same, only his translation was Mandarian.Mandarian??I want one that translates into Quenya/Sindarin/Black Speech[/citation]
Never heard of it? It's a mix of Mandarin and Mandolarian. Or maybe it's just a typo and it's really Mandarin...

 

[tmshdw]

I'd go for the fish in my ear.... Much easier and never have to recharge or forget to bring it.

 

[Guest]

Am I the only one a little dismayed about this? Technology is meant to make life easier, not give you a free ride throughout all the facts of life. Iv'e been working on learning Japanese for a bit now and I take great pride in learning the language from scratch. And now your telling me that some idiot that has no experience with the language can now walk up with one of these devices and interpret it with no challenge at all? Does that not make my effort to learn the language a wasted one? I remember when humanity actually had to do work to do something of great meaning, now it seems to be gone. This doesn't just apply to learning a new language, but every challenge in life.