NTT Docomo, the predominant mobile phone operator in Japan has developed the first real-time automated voice recognition translator available on a standard mobile phone!
To use the service, customers simply call an NTT Docomo service number and follow the voice prompts to input information such as the persons number that they wish to call.
Once the call has been connected users speak into their device and wait for a voice interpretation of what’s spoken to be played back in the native language of the other user. If using the service on Smart-Phones users will be able to see the original and translated conversation on their mobile screens.
NTT Docomo asserts the speech recognition service has a success rate of 80% for English translation and 90% for the Japanese language.
A trial service is first being offered to 400 individual consumers and to various organisations related to tourism and education in Japan.
If tests run smoothly NTT Docomo plans to roll out the translation service to its 56 million subscribers in 2012. NTT Docomo also plans to add other languages to the service.
With other languages soon to be added, we here at Conduct are certainly looking forward to when this service becomes available in Australia. Hopefully the wait is not to long.