One main challenge while traveling abroad is the ability to understand people speaking in different languages. Directions and other important information can easily be lost in translation.
Pilot is a smart earpiece that provides real-time language translation. It enables wearers to speak different languages, but still clearly understand each other because the language heard through the earpiece is each wearer’s own language. If someone does not have an earpiece, they can still use the smartphone app to translate. A nice extra feature is that the app can be used as a loudspeaker when in conference mode. Initial languages being supported are English, Spanish, French, Italian and Portuguese. Additional languages will follow.
Pilot ships in May 2017. Future pricing isn’t provided. But Indiegogo backers have been able to get one for a pledge starting at $179 for early birds, including two earpieces, the mobile app for unspecified operating systems and a portable charger. Its makers are out to raise $75,000 by June 25.
The earpiece would be handy for anybody traveling abroad for business or leisure. But even if one is not traveling, it’s not hard to see Pilot also coming in handy when trying to communicate with people in one’s own country. One possible downside is that the first generation device can’t translate everything happening around the user. It only translates what another person with a Pilot earpiece is saying. But its makers say future generations will translate everything around the user also.