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Video: Word Lens finally makes augmented reality useful [Instant language translation]

By: , IntoMobile
Friday, December 17th, 2010 at 3:13 AM
worldlens

There are a plethora of gimmicky augmented reality applications and services all trying to get the attention of the public, all trying to secure some venture capital, but it’s rare that any of those solutions to problems that don’t exist actually impress. Enter World Lens by QuestVisual. This application lets users point their camera enabled smartphone at anything with text on it, and then boom, instant translation occurs, overlaying the newly translated text on top of the sign you’re viewing. Just watch the video below to truly appreciate how awesome it really is. It took 2.5 years for Otavio Good and John DeWeese to get this right, and we’d be surprised if their little startup isn’t purchased by either Google or Microsoft during the next few months.

The app is free, currently works only on the iPhone (iTunes link), and you pay $5 for a language pack. Right now it only supports Spanish, but there are plans to bring major European languages and even create a version for blind people so they can finally navigate the real world. I remember seeing an application just like World Lens being demoed on stage at CES by Intel several years ago. Back then it required a massive amount of computing, the kind that was only deliverable by a desktop machine. Now, with smartphones featuring high end processors from ARM, going to dual core in 2011, and adding graphics processing capabilities that rival the XBOX 360 and Playstation 3, soon none of us will ever have to be in a situation where we don’t understand the text in front of us.

Best of all, this application doesn’t require an internet connection. That’s right, it’s completely offline. Again, I urge you to watch the video above as it’s easily one of the most impressive things we’ve seen not only in 2010, but in the mobile space, period.

[Via: TechCrunch]

About The Author

Stefan Constantinescu

Stefan Constantinescu (@WhatTheBit on Twitter) has loved technology since as far back as he can remember. It started with computers, but in the past few years his passion has turned to mobile devices. As a mobile phone enthusiast who lives and breathes devices that connect to the internet, he knows he is not alone with this radical fascination of all things wireless. He is strongly opinionated and enjoys a good debate so leave comments in his posts and he’ll get back to you! Stefan began blogging as a hobby in the fall of 2006 and joined IntoMobile in the summer of 2007. Later he got a job at Nokia in March 2008, but as of June 2009 he has rejoined the IntoMobile team. He is currently based out of Helsinki, Finland.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_LRUTVULQDTIOEYU3JJIXFERTYM Maximilian Schleiss

    Does it look like this technology from February 2009? http://conversations.nokia.com/2009/02/18/calling-all-innovators-the-winners/
    As you mentioned many, many times, Nokia has great ideas but don’t seem to dare put them into phones or if they do, they are so many years ahead that it won’t take off.
    Best regards,
    Max.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_LRUTVULQDTIOEYU3JJIXFERTYM Maximilian Schleiss

    Does it look like this technology from February 2009? http://conversations.nokia.com/2009/02/18/calling-all-innovators-the-winners/
    As you mentioned many, many times, Nokia has great ideas but don’t seem to dare put them into phones or if they do, they are so many years ahead that it won’t take off.
    Best regards,
    Max.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_LRUTVULQDTIOEYU3JJIXFERTYM Maximilian Schleiss

    kreader mobile

  • http://www.jesseluna.com jesseluna

    Pretty amazing app. At first I thought it was a hoax but then downloaded it and tested it out. I live in a very bilingual neighborhood so was able to use the English-to-Spanish and Spanish-to-English versions on nearby signs. I created a video of the tour and included real snapshots and video of the translations. Check my Twitter stream for the video/blog link ~@jesseluna