For straightforward exchanges, this shouldn’t be a problem but for more emotive discussions, where much of what we want to convey is actually unsaid (and instead comes from our tone, volume and delivery), the technology isn’t quite there yet. Of course, this means that the intonation, emphasis and tone that help speakers express their meaning is lost. The interpretation is delivered by an automated voice, not dissimilar to those that we’re used to hearing on a Sat Nav or automated phone call. If an error is introduced to the intended text by the voice recognition software, the interpretation is also likely to miss the mark. When they introduced the ‘ums’, ‘ahs’ and slang of normal speech the results were reportedly less good, increasing the risk of misinterpretation. Initial testers achieved the best results by speaking slowly and clearly, with standardised language and no filled pauses. Like many similar applications, its success depends largely on the ability of the user to adapt their speech patterns for easy comprehension.
#MICROSOFT SKYPE TRANSLATOR FOR BUSINESS OVER YEARS WINDOWS 8.1#
The technology was first made available in preview form in December 2014, and following nearly a year of testing and updates, was integrated into the Windows desktop version of Skype in December 2015 and is now available for use by anyone with Windows 8.1 or above.Īt the heart of the technology is Skype’s voice recognition software. In addition, translations for their instant messaging service are available in more than 50 languages. More languages are said to be in the pipeline, but for now, Skype Translator offers real-time interpretation of English, Spanish, French, German, Italian and Mandarin. However, the technology is very much still in its infancy and it will most likely be years, if not decades, before the service is truly able to provide real-time interpretation that accurately captures complex human speech. The tech giant envisages that their new technology will soon be found in classrooms, businesses and homes around the world: being used to assist children with a different native language to their teachers, helping businesses grow in new markets, or allowing people to connect with others with similar interests all around the world. Automated interpretation of spoken language may sound hugely ambitious but Microsoft has invested billions in Skype since its acquisition in 2011, and the early results are promising. With the launch of Skype Translator, technology has taken its first steps into a future where humans can speak in any language at the click of a mouse button.
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