Google AR translation glasses are one of the most mind-blowing tech demos in recent times. Last year, they showed us a prototype of the glasses that had the ability to instantly translate from one language to another, in real-time. It was the ultimate dream of universal speech translation, and could potentially break language barriers, help the deaf, and give us subtitles for the world.
However, since then, things have gone worryingly quiet on the concept. There’s still a chance though, Google I/O 2023 is happening soon, and that could be an opportunity for Google to update us on the project. It might not be a finished product or shipping dates, but an update on the AR translation glasses’ progress would be highly appreciated.
Google’s idea for live translation tech actually goes back to 2017, when they unveiled the Pixel Buds. It promised to be like having a personal translator by your side, but the actual experience was a bit clunky. With AR glasses, the flow would go smoother, with text appearing before your eyes without the need of pauses while the translation is shared audibly through earbuds.
Various companies are working on similar concepts like TCL’s RayNeo X2, Oppo’s Air Glass 2, and Meta’s ‘Universal Speech Translator’. Meta’s project is particularly interesting because it aims at using machine learning and AI to create a thousand-language AI model, which could unlock the potential of AR glasses for direct-speech-to-speech translation in real-time.
Google is ramping up its efforts on language translation. Just recently, they made a big announcement regarding their Universal Speech Model. It was used for auto-captioning in YouTube videos, and is trained on 12 million hours of speech and 28 billion sentences of text.
Google I/O 2023 is the perfect opportunity for Google to update us on their AR translation glasses. They have the potential to revolutionize the translation process and let people communicate freely across language barriers. It could also be a way for Google to show that they are still ahead of the innovation curves and keep up with their competitors.
Google is the tech giant behind the Google AR translation glasses and they are pioneering research into language translation technology. They have been making advances in machine learning and AI, and have worked on various projects including the Universal Speech Model and Google Translate. Their goal is to break language barriers and let people communicate freely with anyone in any language.
