Visual Search Technology App Facilitates Translation

I have blogged a few times about visual search technology, augmented reality, and how apps like Google Goggles allow you to use your smart phone to get information about objects just by holding the camera up to it. An app called Word Lens was recently released that shows the capability of this technology for nearly instantaneous translation of text. There's a lot of buzz about the app because it is a very promising step in the useful application of this technology. You can read more about the app on iTunes here.

Check out the accompanying demonstration video that shows how Word Lens works. If the embedded video isn't loading, you can access it here.

Granted, it’s not perfect. First of all, it only translates English to Spanish or Spanish to English. If there is a lot of text to translate, it may not get it all the words, or may translate only parts of a word. And it doesn’t always translate context very well -- a literal translation of each word may not communicate the message clearly. Of course, stylized writing or hand writing may not be recognized -- clearly printed fonts are the easiest to translate. But regardless, this app is a very cool step forward in visual search technology apps.

Want more info? There's a nice review of the app here and a follow up that has additional criticisms here. But the potential of this technology is huge, and think of the possibilities if they could do it with character based languages like Japanese or Chinese. What do you think? Have you used Word Lens and has it worked well for you? Why or why not? 

About the Author

Stephen Welch

Senior Vice President, Communications
Executive Editor, CHEST

This blog, "It Ain't Rocket Surgery" is intended to help busy health-care professionals find useful online and mobile resources that will enhance their self-education and professional research efforts, or point out important topics of discussion related to online information and content. The blog's title is a Yogi Berra style mash-up of two common phrases, "it ain't brain surgery" and "it ain't rocket science". I hope it will be casual, fun, insightful, and -- most of all -- educational.

You can follow me on Twitter. 

I currently serve ACCP as the Senior Vice President of Communications, as well as the Executive Editor of CHEST, the ACCP’s flagship journal. During my 15 years here, ACCP has focused on growing and developing the editorial, technological, and business aspects of the College. We are constantly striving to make the journal and other ACCP educational content as accessible and useful to clinicians as possible.

When not at work, I like to spend time scuba diving with sharks, collecting original comic book artwork, exploring the digital world, and searching for good BBQ.

Your feedback about the blog is always appreciated. So are tips on good BBQ joints.