Why hasn’t anyone created a chat client that translates between languages? All of the technology to do this exist *right now*. We have translating software on the web (e.g. AltaVista’s BabelFish, and Google’s Language Tools). We have any number of chat clients that support plug-ins (e.g. trillian, jabber). I’m surprised that all chat clients don’t come with translate setting that will translate between two languages on the fly. It seems so obvious and beneficial.

Update 02-12-2006

This entry was posted on LazyWeb today (thanks Jim). I’m looking forward to comments.

I had fun discussing this post with Brad Rubenstein on his blog Odd Quanta.

Update 02-20-2006

I’m please to report that the Trillian plug-in suggested by jacob harvey has been very useful. I tried it out on a native spanish speaker who speaks english. At first he spoke to me in english but then switched to spanish. We had a good 30 minute chat with the translators help. I’m looking forward to using the translator with his mom – who does not speak english. Thanks to Jacob for pointing me in the direction of the translator.

Update 02-28-2006
A commentor suggested another translator at http://www.mecamessenger.com/translations.jsp

I think entertainment is going to get very interesting.

Ray Kurzweil predicts that we will have nanobots in our brain connected to the internet that will allow us to be submerged in virtual reality worlds. For your Star Trek NG fans out there, this would allow us to create holodeck type entertainment scenarios.

Here is the added twist – while you are going through your entertainment scenarios, an AI can be tracking your responses and modulating the experience of the characters around you appropriately.

Let’s say you are recreating the scene from Who Framed Roger Rabbit, when the detective Eddie Valiant goes in the club in toon town where Jessica Rabbit performs.

In this holodeck scenario, you would be the Eddie Valiant character. Depending on what emotions you are feeling – the gorilla doorman might pick you up – or not. Depends on how scared you are. In fact, he could pick you up and growl at your for just the right amount of time to get the desired reaction. If you are over 18, the experience you have with Jessica Rabbit might be very different than if you are a child. The important point here is that the framework for the entertainment will be the same, but your interaction with the characters will be tailor to your demographics, pyschographics and real-time reactions – in a way that is not yet possible. I think this will allow for a level of emotional depth and a richness of experience that we currently only get from time to time when our mood and the movie we are watching sync up. I for one am looking forward to it.

Sometimes, I find Ray Kurzweil’s predictions disturbingly accurate.
The Age of Spiritual Machines states that by the close of this decade (2010) that computers will be completed embedded in our clothing.
When I read this 1999, I was rather skeptical.

Checkout Eleksen. They make “Smart Fabric” – Conducative, washable fabric for integrating computing devices into your clothing. And they aren’t some fringe company. They are partnering with major companies like Logitech, Innovative Sports, O’Neill, and Spyder.

Just read a very interesting interview with Robert Freitas.
Enjoy part one and part two