Uhura, Patch This Through The Universal Translator Please

[Ed Hansberry]

<a href="http://www.wired.com/news/gizmos/0,1452,58150,00.html">http://www.wired.com/news/gizmos/0,1452,58150,00.html</a><br /><br />What was once the fantasy in the world of Star Trek is closer to becoming a reality.<br /><br />"Soldiers can't prevent the diplomatic misunderstandings that breed warfare, but the Pentagon hopes a handheld electronic interpreter in GIs' packs can prevent language barriers from claiming lives on the battlefield. To be successful, such a gadget has to go way beyond the electronic phrase books and generic tourist directories available today."<br /><br />It isn't quite as small as the universal translator Kirk or Picard used though. It requires a Linux or Windows based tablet PC with a microphone and speaker. Looking at <a href="http://www.speechgear.com">SpeechGear's site</a> thought it looks like they are playing with the technology in Pocket PCs and smaller wrist-worn devices.

[Fishie]

Screw this technology crap.
Gimme a bablefish.

[Janak Parekh]

Gimme a bablefish.
Agreed, I could totally use one. The sequence needed to get a Babel fish in the Hitchhiker's Guide, the Game (http://www.douglasadams.com/creations/infocomjava.html) was totally classic. :D

--janak

[Cracknell]

Does it mean God doesn't exist? 8O

[Duncan]

What a pointless idea!

The language of warfare is pretty universal -

Hands up or white flag means - 'I surrender - and I never really had time for that bloke with the moustache anyway, honest...'

Shooting bullets, or pointing a rifle/pistol/missile/miscellaneous 'weapon of mass destruction', in your direction means - 'I want to kill you and feed your babies to my glorious leader with his ever so handsome moustache'*

(*note - should these items be aimed at your own side then the correct translation should be - 'I am a soldier and therefore am by definition told where to point things by 'idiots' (is that how you spell 'General'?)')

For the more complex diplomatic stuff ('Hello - we'd like to you to go into exile while we annexe your country - if it's not too much bother. More tea before you go?') - we employ... erm... what are they called again...? I know...! DIPLOMATS!