Universal language system may solve translation problems

News > Local News

Universal language system may solve translation problems

Published: 6 Jan 2013 at 21.24
Online news: Local News

SINGAPORE : Scientists are on the verge of shipping a universal speech translator with a system that speaks Thai and more than 20 other languages.

The heart of the U-Star system at the moment is usually a hand-held video camera like this, outfitted with a microphone (bottom) and the translation software.

The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) announced Sunday the system is in its final stage of development, and will be ready to ship well ahead of the planned Asean Economic Community in 2016.

U-Star, the name of the technology, currently translates 10 languages, either one-on-one or a conversation involving several different languages. They include Thai, English, Japanese, Mandarin, Malay, Korean, Bahasa Indonesia, Hindi and Vietnamese.

This article is older than 60 days, which we reserve for our premium members only.You can subscribe to our premium member subscription, here.

Forum

Your comments

jgriff
Post : 402
Send message

Discussion 23 : 08 Jan 2013 at 00.2623
Post this to my Facebook
There is an app that the USA Armed Forces use when attending Cobra Gold in Thailand. They have had it for a few years and it has about that same accuracy as this one. Just put in on your smart phone. Doesn't need an internet connection to work. Once you download it your done. It has about 10 languages. Jibbigo.
Like dislike 0 people liked / 1 people disliked this comment
sirron
Post : 895
Send message

Discussion 22 : 07 Jan 2013 at 14.4222
Post this to my Facebook
D5 Genethemac,

A cell App "SayHi" seems over 90% correct on English to Thai - voice to voice. It has no Thai to English voice yet (probably due to the tones). But if you can type Thai or are with someone who can, it"s has a high % of accuracy. For example on a recent road trip we stopped to buy some fruit and an American friend wanted to know the name of the fruit we were eating. I knew the Thai (poosa), but had no clue to its English name. It took a lot longer for the Thais in the car to figure out how to spell "poosa" (พุทรา), than it did for the app to speak back with "monkey apple" in English. It has other languages too.
Like dislike 0 people liked / 0 people disliked this comment
oldexp
Post : 421
Send message

Discussion 21 : 07 Jan 2013 at 13.2521
Post this to my Facebook
I prefer to know that I don't understand than knowing I might (20 to 40%) missunderstand.
Google and Bing translation not even allow to understand what a Thai to English translation is about.
And then a program that is based on servers that have to be reached through 2G technology?
Like dislike 5 people liked / 1 people disliked this comment
Eric
Post : 1,152
Send message

Discussion 20 : 07 Jan 2013 at 11.2320
Post this to my Facebook
Give technology a chance. We may not get perfection but like all technology, it will improve over time. Even if we don't get perfect translation, we still can catch the key words for us to understand. That's is sufficient to understand what the conversation is all about and that's better than staring blank.
Like dislike 5 people liked / 4 people disliked this comment
tomb
Post : 382
Send message

Discussion 19 : 07 Jan 2013 at 11.1919
Post this to my Facebook
When is the government going to place an order for three million of these these devices at an inflated price?
Like dislike 10 people liked / 1 people disliked this comment
NangrongJ
Post : 65
Send message

Discussion 18 : 07 Jan 2013 at 09.4818
Post this to my Facebook
These gadgets are ok for some languages but at best only ok. Thai isn't a language that can be translated accurately in such a manner as google and bing show. This will be used as a crutch by Thais to get out of studying.
Like dislike 19 people liked / 1 people disliked this comment
mrsdonesh
Post : 135
Send message

Discussion 17 : 07 Jan 2013 at 08.2417
Post this to my Facebook
what we need is a Babel fish. This will fix all. It might help my associate whose job will be lost because new Japanese management want Japanese speaking line managers only. Forget skills, speak Japanese, OK jobs yours. Don't speak Japanese bye bye. 10 years service don't care bye bye. BP needs to look at this as a real problem.
Like dislike 2 people liked / 1 people disliked this comment
jacksprat
Post : 2,446
Send message

Discussion 16 : 07 Jan 2013 at 08.1316
Post this to my Facebook
Why not have everyone in the world learn North American Plains Indian sign language? Cheaper and probably just as effective.
Like dislike 0 people liked / 1 people disliked this comment
GenetheMachine
Post : 157
Send message

Discussion 15 : 07 Jan 2013 at 07.3315
Post this to my Facebook
I'll bet cash it works better than Google or Facebook translations. It took some years before voice response units could be used for telephones. Now you can dial you cell phone with your voice. Someday this technology will be a cell phone app. This is just another step forward towards a StarTrek translator.
Like dislike 2 people liked / 7 people disliked this comment
Birdie
Post : 153
Send message

Discussion 14 : 07 Jan 2013 at 07.3314
Post this to my Facebook
This software or gadget would make the Thais look even more stupid and brainless but good for the corruptive government because its another source of income.
Like dislike 12 people liked / 4 people disliked this comment

1 2 3 Next Last

Universal language system may solve translation problems | Bangkok Post: news