Speeek program on iPhone translates languages
Japanese is one of the most difficult languages in the world to speak properly. Translation can be a major problem.
Now Tokyo-based BBSS, a 100% subsidiary of Japanese telecommunications giant SoftBank, has created an app for the iPhone which translates spoken Japanese into either English or Chinese. It is called Speeek and costs $20 which would seem to be a bargain price.
Plainly there are serious limitations. The iPhone, at the moment, does not have enough grunt in the engine room to do more. Therefore the app only recognizes around 1,500 phrases in Japanese. (Actually, that is a remarkably high number.)
Users must choose between eight predetermined settings: restaurant, travel, sightseeing, flirting, basic talk, emergency situations and transportation.
Reviewers have tended to be harsh. They expect miracles from the iPod — and mostly that is what they get. But voice recognition is a very tough nut to crack.
An example: in Australia, where this is being written, pretty much all of the taxis in Sydney are run by one company. The have a computer with serious grunt to do voice recognition. That is recognition of any voice without extensive training. When it comes to the question: ‘How many passengers are traveling? and you answer ‘one’ the system is totally stuffed. It keeps saying: ‘Please repeat that.’ And then it says, ‘One moment please, I am connecting you to a operator.’
The trick is not to reply ‘one’. You must say ‘wun’ which the computer believes is the pronunciation every Australian should use.
Therefore for any voice recognition to be built into a mobile phone is a most amazing trick. Yes, it is restricted. Yes, it shows the phrase in Japanese characters to have it confirmed. After that, the iPhone will display and ‘read’ the phrase out loud in English.
As Dr Johnson said, it ‘is like a dog’s walking on his hinder legs. It is not done well; but you are surprized to find it done at all.’
This sort of speech recognition can only improve. If it can do it with Japanese it can do it with anything.
If at this early stage someone has got a form of voice recognition working on a mobile phone then the mind boggles as to the possibilities that lie ahead.
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