Picture this, you’ve just arrived on holiday in a country you’ve never been to before, you’ve forgotten your phrase book, don’t have any data on your phone and you barely know how to say the word “hello”. You are now trying to order dinner and have no idea what the waiter is saying to you. We’ve all been in these sorts of situations. Usually it’s funny, sometimes it can be incredibly frustrating, but it can also be REALLY embarrassing. But fear not, this new device similar to the Babel Fish in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, or the Universal Translator gadget in Star Trek fits could solve all your problems. Trying to understand the local lingo could soon be a thing of the past.
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The device, dubbed ‘The Pilot System’ is a product of Waverly Labs. The idea is is that two people who don’t speak the same language each wear an earpiece so that two people can converse easily without waving their arms around at each other!
The first version of the system only works when two people are having a conversation, according to The Daily Mail. But future versions will listen to everything that is happening nearby and will not require pairs of devices. The device works in conjunction with an app which will allow you to toggle through a multitude of languages including French, Spanish, Italian and English. It also works offline, so there’s no need to worry about data charges when used oversees.
Personally, I think its a brilliant idea. I’m totally useless at foreign languages and although a little expensive, at $129 retail, it could save me a lot of time and embarrassment when using it abroad. Anything that will stop me from talking louder and louder and slower and slower in an attempt to get someone to understand my broad English accent can only be a good thing 🙂 Checkout the images and video below. You can pre-order one here.
