Innovations to Communication (8)

Babel Fish

If you've never read "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy", first go read it; it's great. Second, you probably aren't familiar with the term Babel fish.

Tower of Babel
By: Pieter Bruegel

Foremost, the term babel comes from the origin myth, Genesis 11:1-9, that explains why people speak different languages. Long story short, all of humanity spoke a single language and agreed to work together and build a tower so high it would reach heaven. God, having an issue with this, said "no way" and jumbled everyone's languages so they could no longer understand one another. The tower was nicknamed, "Tower of Babel", based on the Hebrew word "balal", meaning to jumble or confuse.

The Babel fish is a fictional fish from "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" that, when inserted into one's ear, can translate any language into the host's own language. Now that I've caught you up with a brief history lesson, we can get started.

Google's Pixel Buds

Google is working on a pair of ear buds that many people have taken to calling "Babel-Fish Earbuds". The device functions almost exactly like the aforementioned ear-fish, except it isn't gross. One user wears the ear buds while another speaks into a phone using the google translate app. The app will then play aloud the translated version of what the second user said. The technology isn't perfect yet. The number of compatible languages are still limited. There are lots of bugs and usability issues, as well. A common theme on this blog states that the technology will improve with time. The Babel-Fish Earbuds are certainly no exception.

Why is it so Important?

Language barriers are still a common block in communication for many people. While there are apps that allow one to translate written language, speaking will always be faster than typing. The ear buds streamline the process of using Google Translate to converse with someone speaking another language. Here is a great video showcasing how the device is used. It is important to note this video is a demonstration and may not show any serious bugs or issues.

Google's Pixel Buds are a fascinating piece of technology. I can't wait to see how the product is refined in the years to come.