Real-time translator could be the end of awkward foreign language interactions

SIGMO is small speaker that automatically translates up to 25 languages in real time.

Regular readers of Springwise may remember the ELSA – a device designed for emergency services to enable real-time translation calls with a remote interpreter in cases where they had to deal with foreign citizens. Now SIGMO is small speaker that automatically translates up to 25 languages in real time.

The device – which is small enough to hold in between two fingers – is connected to users’ smartphones via Bluetooth. It also comes with an app that uses voice recognition software to convert spoken sentences into text, translate them using a service such as Google Translate, then convert them back into sound using a natural speech simulator. When the device is connected, users simply say a phrase into the device and get an instant translation in the language they’ve set on their smartphone. The video below offers a demonstration of the SIGMO:

The SIGMO – which recently reached its funding target on Indiegogo – is currently available to pre-order for USD 50, although its evident that the system will have its limitations. The device could be useful for tourists wanting to ask native residents simple questions, but a more developed version could provide real-time conversation translations for both business and social scenarios. Are there other ways to bridge the gap between different cultures using technology?

Spotted by: Murray Orange