Title: Re: The future of translation - courtesy of Microsoft Research
Post by: turboswimbz on November 11, 2012, 01:57:42 AM
neat.
Title: Re: The future of translation - courtesy of Microsoft Research
Post by: SignOfZeta on November 11, 2012, 03:56:42 AM
Aside from the algorithmic improvements he meantioned (which I'm sure are significant) I'm having a hard time understanding what's so applause-worthy or new here.
My Mac (I'm only talking about Macs here because they are what I know, I'm not advocatting any OS so don't give me any shit for owning a Mac here) can already recognize my speach, translate that speach, and speak it in the new language...and this is just a current gen consumer product. It's not stitched together like this, but it does all those things, built into the OS, so I'm sure you could just write a script that does what was seen in this presentation. I assume Windows does the same thing.
Maybe they are just happy because he's doing the demo in/for Chinese?
Title: Re: The future of translation - courtesy of Microsoft Research
Post by: SuperPlay on November 11, 2012, 04:09:47 AM
it is indeed the algorithmic improvements that are epic rather than the linkage. Also the ability to include your voice style into the translated speech is a forward move (rather than bog standard computer voice playback).
Windows 7 has voice recognition included as stock which is not too bad. However I am not sure if this inbuilt version can translate between languages like the mac can.
I am just overall impressed how speech recognition (and translation) has improved over the years.
Title: Re: The future of translation - courtesy of Microsoft Research
Post by: SignOfZeta on November 11, 2012, 09:57:21 AM
That computer voice sounds nothing like that dude, IMO.
Title: Re: The future of translation - courtesy of Microsoft Research
Post by: SuperPlay on November 12, 2012, 08:23:31 AM
Still an improvement of my first experience of speech ;-)
I managed to get hold of a copy of this app for the BBC Micro back in 1986/87. I was mesmerized at the time and spent hours just messing around.