Google Translate is a massive help, but it’s a bit of a faff having to take your phone out every time someone speaks. This earpiece is like a wearable version.
It’s called Pilot, and it uses machine learning to decipher what someone is saying in another language and translate it into another.
You can choose which languages to translate to and from using the smartphone app. You can also use the app as a phrasebook, if you fancy having a crack at speaking another language yourself.
There’s also a conference mode, in which multiple people can wear the earpiece and join in on the same conversation, even if they’re all speaking different languages. And your smartphone’s speakerphone can act as a loudspeaker to transmit what you’re saying to everyone in the room.
It comes in a set of two, so you can use the second to stream music, or give it to the person you’re conversing with. (Hopefully after cleaning it.)
Read more: Siri vs Google Now vs Cortana: Which is best?
Its noise-cancelling microphones filter out ambient noise when someone is speaking. What with Siri and Amazon’s Alexa personal assistant becoming so advanced, it’s the logical next step to put the technology in an earpiece. We just hope it works as well as it promises.
It’s passed its funding goal and still has 15 days to go. To get one, pledge $199 (£138). It’ll ship in May 2017, supporting English, Spanish, French, Italian and Portuguese. Before the autumn of next year, Germanic, Hebrew, Arabic, Russian and Slavic, East Asian and African will also be added.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
