Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Tokyo Narita Airport Gets PDA Voice Translators

Posted by michael on from the nihongo-wa-amari-hanashimasen dept.

commanderfoxtrot writes "According to the BBC, Narita airport can hire out PDAs capable of translating 50,000 Japanese and 25,000 English spoken words. This is all part of the e-Airport scheme at Narita: The speech-to-speech technology was developed by NEC, tested in Papero robots and then put in PDAs. ... Papero (Partner-Type Personal Robot), is the first robot to translate verbally between two languages in colloquial tongue."

10 of 170 comments (clear)

  1. Obligatory by burgburgburg · · Score: 4, Funny

    "My hovercraft is full of eels."

  2. Re:This isn't new. by GTownBeast · · Score: 5, Funny

    How long did it take before the 14 year olds were getting it to talk dirty to passing people?

    --
    Rumor has it... that Catholic School Girls Rule
  3. Wait. by Stupid+White+Man · · Score: 4, Funny

    Will they be speaking ENGLISH or ENGRISH?

  4. Pardon me by sloptaco · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Pardon me, where's the restroom."

    -->"Kimi, bukkake demo yoroshii desyou ka?"

  5. children are overrated by surreal-maitland · · Score: 5, Funny
    this thing is too cute. *and* it's useful. i'm going to buy a dozen in different languages. it's probably cheaper than having a couple of kids.

    i can't wait for "robots say the darnedest things"

    --
    -ninjaneer
  6. Re:Just missed it! by Rosyna · · Score: 4, Funny

    I will be at Narita airport on March 31st. I will make sure to wear a camera around my neck and ask every one when Godzilla is next scheduled to attack.

  7. It will speak Engrish by Dusabre · · Score: 4, Funny

    This is a quote from the article (Engrish!):

    "Most certainly, it is absolutely ideal and it is most likely this technology will be utilised," - Chris Shimizu, NEC's corporate relations manager.

    If he's using it, then all his base belongs to us. If he's not, then perhaps he should.

  8. Key phrases include... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    'Bear is driving? How can that be?'

    'Let me show you how kareoke is really done'

    'Could you direct me to the nearest bootleg toy store?'

    'Overweight anime fan seeks cute Japanese girlfriend.'

    'So, why don't you guys like the X-Box?'

    and

    'If I said I liked Princess Monoke, would you sit on my face?'

  9. Remember the Babel fish... by Conspiracy_Of_Doves · · Score: 4, Funny

    by effectively removing all barriers to communication between different races and cultures, has caused more and bloodier wars than anything else in the history of creation.

    --

    Technoli
  10. Re:All base belong us. by orthogonal · · Score: 4, Funny
    Narita airport can hire out PDAs capable of translating 50,000 Japanese and 25,000 English spoken words.
    Great. We're only going to catch *half* of what they are saying...

    Tell me about it. I was transiting Narita Airport -- running really late -- when I first encountered one of these "translating" robot/PDAs.

    Anyway, it was getting late, and I was running later, and I was afraid I'd already missed my flight, because the airport was nearly deserted.

    I turned to one of the ground attendants, to see if I could still catch my plane, and I asked, what happen?

    This is how Japanese girl's little friendly-faced translating robot/PDA told me that all that evening's planes had already departed:

    The robot/PDA's main screen turn on and it said:

    How are you gentlemen !!
    All your plane are belong to us !!
    You have no chance to survive. Make your time !!
    HA HA HA HA.....
    Already take off every 'Zig'
    You know what you doing!
    Move 'Zig'
    For Great Justice !!

    --
    Opinions on the Twiddler2 hand-held keyboard?