Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella

Microsoft’s Skype Translator is ready for testing, and the Redmond, WA-based company is looking for applicants to try out the new product. The new feature will be an advance on previous translation tools of the past, which only translated text, supporting 51 languages. The new real-time translator will translate video conversations in real-time.

Back in May at the inaugural Code Conference, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella described how the tech giant was working on new capabilities for Skype. “Imagine in the very near future technology allowing humans to bridge geographic and language boundaries to connect mind to mind and heart to heart in ways never before possible,” wrote Gurdeep Pall, Corporate Vice President, Skype and Lync, Microsoft, following the conference. Referring to Microsoft’s, and Nadella’s vision of the future, Pall added, “In our industry, we often talk about pursuing big, bold dreams, and of how we’re limited only by the power of our imaginations. Skype Translator is one of those endeavors.”

The tool combines Skype voice and IM technologies with Microsoft Translator, and neural network-based speech recognition. During the conference an English-to-German, German-to-English, near real-time conversation was demonstrated. The new technology will allow users to choose from 45 languages available for translation, and also provide an on-screen transcript of the conversation.

The preview for testers will only be available in a few languages to start, reports Microsoft, but will expand to more languages, as well as be available on more operating systems and devices. This week Microsoft explained on its website that the tool is still in its early stages of development, stating, “Skype Translator is still learning and improving the way it translates calls. As such, it’ll have a few rough edges, but the more conversations it translates, the better it’ll get.”

The beta version of the app should be available to users later this year. The sign-up page for the Skype Translator preview is here. There will be a limited number of applicants accepted, and it will only be available for people using the Windows 10 preview or Windows 8.1.

photo credit: Spencer Finnley via photopin cc