BabelOn, a startup in the San Fransisco area, is developing software that can transform your speech from English to any other language, without using any additional translation services, and it will sound like you own voice. While using artificial means to create the sounds of a human voice, a technique called speech synthesis, has been around for a while, BabelOn is offering a very specific and unique spin on the technology. Using a specialized combination of custom designed hardware and software, BabelOn will analyze your voice for its unique characteristics then use those results to recreate language that sounds like the words are coming out of your own mouth in any language you want.

Originally the idea was conceived for use in film dubbing or translating video games but the ultimate goal for BabelOn is to provide real-time language translation in your voice, like when you’re on a Skype call or similar circumstances. Although Microsoft currently offers a comparable service for some time, their voice is digital sounding, like Siri, making the BabelOn difference more personal.

While this is certainly a very interesting concept, it is still very early on in BabelOn’s development. There has yet to be a software demonstration, nor have they done any work for clients. Currently, BabelOn is bidding for a soon to be released video game translation but it is not a done deal. The software has a potential for success but also presents a glaring security concern in the concept of having one’s voice “stolen”.

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