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[johnslat]

Is it "Good-bye" to the middle-man/woman (i.e. EFL/ESLers?)

New Tele Scouter Glasses Could Provide Instant Translations
The new Tele Scouter glasses could make overseas trips easier by instantly translating words and broadcasting them into your retinas.

Traveling to a foreign country is always fun, but wouldn�t it be nice if you were able to have a real chat with the locals that consisted of more than �hello,� �thank you,� and �do you speak English?�

You could take language classes before your trip, but if you don�t have time to do that, or just don�t have the knack for memorizing a whole alphabet, a new Japanese invention could provide just the tools you need for a flowing conversation.

A technology firm, NEC, has created a new line of glasses called Tele Scouters, which lack lenses but include projectors that can broadcast images directly onto the wearer�s retina. The sophisticated specs were created as a business tool, to allow sales staff to receive information about customers� buying habits, which is beamed directly into their eyes during sales calls.

However, the creators say that future versions of the Tele Scouters could include a microphone that would pick up the voice of your conversation partner, instantly run the words through translation software, and beam the translation into the wearer�s eyes, to allow for almost instant translation during conversations. The company says that the glasses could be a perfect tool in high-risk situations, where using a professional translator would create a liability.

Don�t expect to pack a pair of Tele Scouters in your bag for your next trip to Spain, though: the subtitled specs won�t be commercially available until 2011. Even so, the invention could provide a fantastic opportunity to promote understanding between cultures.

�It�s like glasses improving somebody�s near-sightedness,� translation technology expert Don DePalma told BBC News. �It�s a pair of glasses with a device that allows a person to get past this inability to speak another language�a sort of linguistic short-sightedness.�

[Glenski]

"glasses called Tele Scouters, which lack lenses but include projectors that can broadcast images directly onto the wearer�s retina"

Don't most lens-free glasses frames do this anyway?

With the poor quality of online translation at this time, this outfit has to be taken with a carload of salt.

Besides, it's only a 1-way translation promised. You see/hear/understand what is spoken to you, but from your mouth comes gibberish to the locals. Or is this a 2 for 1 offer?

[johnslat]

Dear Glenski,

"Besides, it's only a 1-way translation promised."

Not if you're both wearing the glasses - though, admittedly, it'd likely be through the glasses darkly.

Regards,
John

[Sadebugo]

What was the invention that allowed Star Trek personnel to understand all languages? Wasn't that called a 'universal translator?' It sounds something like that.

Sadebugo
http://travldawrld.blogspot.com/

[johnslat]

Dear Sadebugo,

And not only Star Trek - a "universal translator" has often been used in sci-fi, including Doctor Who (TARDIS) and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
(babel fish):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_translator

Regards,
John