The iOS application Word Lens, as its creator Otavio Good describes it, is just a dictionary with a good interface. “What’s new is the good interface,” he says — the interface being your mobile device.
But when the “interface” in question includes sophisticated vector and graphics processing (as on newer versions of the iPhone), Word Lens is more like a personal translator than a dictionary.
Simply point your camera at text to see the translated words appear on your device’s screen in real-time, no Internet connection required.
This magic-like text translation effect could ch ange the way the world travels. It can help tourists decipher signs, menus and brochures, avoid uncomfortable situations, better understand their surroundings and ultimately get them to feel more at home in a far away place.
Good says he hopes “it will help you learn a language a lot more naturally … in that environment.” It’s more natural, he says, because the user can see word-for-word meanings and get a better grasp on sentence structure.
For now, Word Lens [iTunes link] sells just two language packs: Spanish to English translation and English to Spanish translation, each pack costing $9.99.
Mashable spoke with Good to better understand how Word Lens goes about translating text in video.
A Good Idea
“My mom taught me to program computer graphics when I was about seven years old,” Good recalls. “I’ve been programming ever since then.”
In 2000, Good was one of three guys to found...
