Knowing only one language can really change the way you see the world, and it’s usually not for the better.
While some take the easy approach and just assume that everyone speaks English, others feel a little embarrassed about not being able to understand people from around the world in their mother tongues. After all, there are few things more beautiful than language, the form and function of which reveal so much about the people who speak it.
For those in the latter group who want to experience culture as authentically as possible, this device is about to shift your perspective on global travel.
Meet the Pilot. It’s a tiny, in-ear device that translates English, Spanish, French, and Italian in real time.
Developers from Waverly Labs hope to bridge cultural gaps by providing people with a program that’s easy to use while still being culturally respectful. They want to help us live life without borders.
Andrew Ochoa ideated the program when he met a French woman and immediately felt communicative distance between them.
The Pilot instantly translates conversations so that people who speak two different languages can talk without the clumsiness that typically comes along with such encounters.
All you have to do is give Pilot earbuds to both people involved and start chatting!
Best of all, the device and associated app work offline, so you won’t rack up roaming charges while using it abroad. Many compare the program to the Babel Fish from “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.”
According to the story, “If you stick [a Babel Fish] in your ear, you can instantly understand anything said to you in any form of language.” The birth of this technology brings science-fiction to life.
It will only translate four languages upon release, but more will be added in the future with a focus on East Asian, African, Arabic, and Slavic languages. To learn more about the project, check this out!
(via Bored Panda)
The Pilot program will be released next fall, and each unit will retail for $129. If you’d like to preorder your own device so you can hit the ground running on your next European adventure, you can do so here.
Buon viaggio a tutti!
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