Speech-to-Speech Translators to Aid in Soccer Event

Ectaco has shipped 1,500 custom-made iTRAVL speech-to-speech translators to Ukraine's Ministry of Internal Affairs for use during the upcoming UEFA 2012 Soccer Championship.

This modification to the ECTACO iTRAVL is similar to the original SpeechGuards for military, law enforcement, and homeland security that have been used by more than 400 agencies worldwide. The intended goal is to facilitate communication between local Ukrainian law enforcement officials and foreign guests. A similar device was successfully implemented during the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

The Ectaco iTRAVL features support for Russian, Ukrainian, English, Spanish, Italian, German, Polish, Portuguese and French; an audio phrasebook recognizing human speech and providing translation for 14,000 phrases; a voice -nabled interface with vocal commands intended for extreme conditions, when, for instance, a large number of fans speaking different languages must be directed from one section of the stadium to another; and the Language Teacher application, which helps to obtain basic language skills in a short time.

The device has been subject to tests since February 2011 by the Ukrainian police force. "It's possible to learn a language, if you can devote five to six hours a day to studying," states Col. Vladimir Salimskiy, deputy executive to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine. "In such cases, it is possible to reach a bearable level of understanding within six months. But with this device you just point at the language tab and you're ready to start a conversation."

"The ECTACO iTRAVL is a high-tech multifunctional and multilingual device designed for a very specific set of situations and conditions," says David Lubinitsky, CEO of Ectaco. "It's important to note that the device is a budgetary solution in comparison to competitors in the market. It can be re-programed after the championship to serve similar or different tasks."