Speech Recognition and Translation Systems

Speech Recognition and Translation Systems (Goggles)

Group 8

Clay Dickerson, Evan Huffy, Brent Washington, and Nathan Rasmussen

Key Words: Electrodes, Sensors, Language Barriers, and Translation Goggles

With globalization becoming more and more of an issue in the business world today, companies need ways to resolve language barriers. Speech translation systems that are in place today are limited to situations like booking a hotel and shopping. What if one day scientists and researchers came up with a technology that would lead to tiny mouth and throat implants that would allow consumers to speak other languages? These new hardware translation systems are designed for people to speak one language, yet be understood in another. One hardware product that is being produced is called translation goggles. If the business world could get a hold on these new systems, language barrier issues could be reduced and the global environment of businesses would be more effective.

This translation system is being developed at the Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh and also at the University of Karlsruhe in Germany by Alex Waibel, who is a professor of computer science at both universities. Waibel says, “Our goal is to create technologies that make the language barrier go away entirely.” However, it is predicted that these speech translation systems are probably a decade away from the consumer’s hands. This technology has potential to have great impact on many countries; most importantly these systems will bridge the language separation between countries and cultures.

The translation devices decipher unspoken words by a logical arrangement of tiny electrodes that would attach to an individual’s cheek and throat, which then would measure electrical currents generated by the muscle movement of soft spoken words and convert them into audible words of another language. Basically, the sensors receive electrical signals from the muscles, and in a matter of seconds the information travels to a computer that finds the words and translates them into both languages. To make this possible to translate random speech of numerous different subjects, Waibel said his team “came up with statistical methods that allow the computer to learn from oodles of example translations available on the Internet.” Rather than this system making word-by-word translation, the system builds phrases, which gets out some of the kinks of sentence structure with different languages. These translation devices would allow such things as translation of lectures, TV shows, and telephone interaction which are all sophisticated vocabularies of everyday life. A predicted problem that consumers will have is that they will not one wants to wear dozens of electrodes on their face. Therefore, making this system available will require shrinkage of the components, combination and location of sensors, said Chuck Jorgenson, scientist at NASA Research Center.

Another idea Waibel uses is a pair of translation goggles that translate words onto a virtual screen for the person wearing the goggles, which Waibel says would be like going through life with subtitles. The goggles also come with speakers that can determine a person in the crowd and deliver a translation compared to a whisper in an ear. Such a translation device could replace the headphones worn today by individuals who are listening to an international speech. Waibel predicts in the future, “We could implant the electrodes into your mouth and throat if you want and have your mouth become multilingual.” Waibel also says, “Some of this technology could require more-or-less permanent attachments to the listener. But, I think someday people will accept having a few electrodes implanted in their cheek.”

Businesses, organizations, and consumers in general will become more effective through communication and learn more about one another’s culture using these speech recognition and translation systems. Waibel adds, “Using these translation systems will empower people to come together when they wouldn’t otherwise interact.” People will now be able to talk with one another from different countries at a more understandable and faster way. Businesses will indeed gain competitive advantage because they will not feel worried about offending one another because of different words and actions that mean different things in different countries. Since in global business knowing one another’s culture is so imperative these devices will have business partners better understand one another and have better business relationships. The businesses will also be more successful because of it.

In conclusion, the benefits of speech recognition and language systems hardware are their ability to resolve or decrease language barriers. Waibel does this by using electrodes and sensors or even putting on his goggles to allow two people speaking two different languages to communicate effectively. Businesses going global will now have the opportunity to make more solid business decisions because they know without doubt they have communicated effectively with other managers in other countries due to Waibel’s translation system.

References

(November 2005). Technologies Eliminate Language Barriers.

http://dsc.discovery.com/news/briefs/20051121/speech_tec.html

(October 2005). No longer lost in translation.

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/s_388625.html

(November 2005). Latest in Translation: Random Samples.

http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/summary/310/5750/968c

Speech Translation Goggles
Group 8

1.	What are Translation Goggles?

A.	Goggles that help translate other languages

B.	Goggles that help the blind to see

C.	Both A and B

D.	None of the Above

2.	Where are the translation systems being developed?

A.	Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh

B.	University of Karlsruhe in Germany

C.	University of Central Arkansas

D.	Both A and B

1. 3.3. 2.3.

Who invented the translation systems being developed?

A.	Brenton Alexander

B.	Alex Waibel

C.	Dave Chappell

D.	None of the Above

4.	How do the Translation Goggles decipher words?

Sensors

B.	A logical arrangement of tiny electrodes

C.	Both A and B

D.	None of the Above

5.	The translation goggles only translate word-by-word translations.

True

False

6.	Where will the translation electrodes be placed?

Eyes

Ears

Brain

D.	Mouth/Throat

7.	What do the translation electrodes measure?

A.	Brainwaves

B.	Electrical currents by muscle movement

C.	Vocal Cords

D.	All of the Above