Speech-to-Speech Translation
Hannah Grap
Language Weaver, Inc.
Integrating Speech with Translation
• Communicating across languages can add significant value to business and government initiatives and processes
• Combining Speech Technology with automated translation is enabling many new cross language applications and breaking down language barriers
Language Weaver’s Role
• Automated translation engine with a high degree of customizability
• LW’s unique approach to translation provides:– Constantly improving translation quality as algorithms
improve and computing power and data resources increase
– Straightforward customization and tuning capabilities using legacy translation resources as a reference and training model
– Easy integration with other applications
SMT 101
Speech + Translation Solutions
• Speech to Text:– Foreign Broadcast Monitoring Applications– Telephony Applications– Global Webinars– Instant Messaging
• Speech to Speech:– Automated Language Interpreter for Military
Applications– Business Traveler & Tourist Aid– Doctor/patient interaction – Instant Messaging
Speech Text Translation
Speech Text Translation
Solution by Virage
Speech Text Translation
Solution Solution by BBN by BBN
Mobile Speech to Speech Translation
Mobile Speech-to-Speech Translation
Application in use between an English and an Arabic speaker
Application interface by SRI running on laptop
Implications for Other Industries
• Customer Support
• Doctor-Patient Interaction
• Global Webinars and Video Conferences
• Globally Focused Distance Learning
• High School Education in highly diverse US school districts
Factors to Consider
• Deployment (e.g., mobile)• Environment (noise)• Domain/Subject Area for
translation• Speech Quality of Users• Dialect• Translation software• Integration components
– Speech to text & text to speech software
• Hardware requirements• Speed
Why Use a Statistical Approach?
• Statistically based automated translation software– Quickly customized to specific subject domains to
improve translation accuracy– Tolerant of errors because software doesn’t rely
on linguistic rules
• For more information, please visit our website:www.languageweaver.com
Thank you!
The SMT Run-time Process
SMT Improves in Many Ways
Domain specific data
Improved algorithms
Additional data
Faster computer processors
Qua
lity
Time
Domain specific data can include subject domain, structure and style