Have you ever wondered why all aliens and foreigners in movies and television are all able to speak perfect English? The answer has finally been resolved as a new technology has emerged that acts as a universal translator with a simple speaker and microphone output.
The Sigmo is a small device the size of a pillbox that is equipped with a microphone and speaker that connects to the cloud. You simply select the language you'd like to have words translated into and then hold the Sigmo up and speak into it. The device will then record your voice and send the recording to the cloud of translation via a Bluetooth connection to your smartphone.
According to Mashable, services such as Google Translate will help decipher what you need said and will then send the translation back to the device. Seconds after you first dictate your words into the device it will play back a translated version that is audible to anyone within earshot. This makes this the best device for the traveler who prefers to ask a local for directions rather than consult a map in the middle of the street or doesn't like to point at a menu in a foreign restaurant.
The Sigmo translation skills are only as good as its connection to the Internet, which means the device can also work as a simple Bluetooth speaker or as Google voice search on an Android mobile device.
The device has an Indiegogo campaign that has been wildly successful and has made it so the developers can begin to think about shipping the final devices in January of 2014.
Is the Sigmo something that you would find useful while traveling or are you worried that being able to translate everything with a device in your pocket will ruin some of the fun and adventure that comes from being behind a language barrier when you travel? Comment and share your thoughts with us below.
