Earphones that provide real-time translation of 40 languages

Timekettle has developed bi-directional simultaneous translation earbuds that translate with up to 95 per cent accuracy

Spotted: The technological advancements we’ve experienced over the last few decades have made communication easier than ever. However, language barriers still pose an issue in maintaining smooth communication in a lot of cases. With the goal of building a global brand of AI translators, Los-Angeles based Timekettle Technologies have developed in-ear ‘translator-buds’ that can perform bi-directional real-time translations in as many as 40 languages. Named the WT2 Edge, they deliver translations in as little as 0.5 seconds between the speaker and listener, with up to 95 per cent accuracy.

Running on 15 servers worldwide, the WT2 Edge is able to translate 40 different languages and 93 dialects, with seven of the world’s most spoken languages stored offline to offer translation without an internet connection. They are powered by six leading translation engines – DeepL, Google, Microsoft, iFlytek, AmiVoice, and Hoya, including a translation engine from Timkettle itself. The earbuds boast beamforming microphones, noise-cancelling algorithms, powerful data-handling capacity and three hours of continuous active translation, which are boosted to 12 hours with their charging case.

The WT2 Edge can be used in three different modes. A “Simul Mode” allows two people to wear one earbud each, with each acting as individual translators. The “Speaker Mode” allows the user to turn their smartphone into a speaker and playback the translated version of what is said into the earpiece, and a text version can even be displayed if the user is in a noisy environment. Lastly, the “Touch Mode” allows the user to touch their earbud to activate their mic while muting as many as six other people in the conversation. Beyond this, the WT2 Edge can handle group chats of up to 30 people speaking 30 different languages. Conversations can also instantly be recorded within Timekettle’s app and be converted to text.

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