VoiceTra is a versatile speech translation application designed to facilitate communication across different languages, particularly useful for travel-related scenarios. Available for free, VoiceTra supports an impressive array of 31 languages, making it an invaluable tool for travelers and those welcoming visitors to Japan.

Key Features:

VoiceTra leverages advanced speech recognition, translation, and synthesis technologies developed by the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT). This allows the app to translate spoken words into various languages and deliver the results through synthesized speech. The app's ability to instantly switch translation directions enables two people speaking different languages to communicate effectively using just one device. For languages without speech input support, text input is also available.

VoiceTra is particularly well-suited for travel-related conversations, covering a wide range of situations such as:

• Transportation: Bus, train, rent-a-car, taxi, airport, transit
• Shopping: Restaurant, shopping, payment
• Hotel: Check-in, check-out, cancellation
• Sightseeing: Overseas travel, serving and supporting foreign customers

Additionally, VoiceTra has been recognized for its utility in disaster prevention and response scenarios. While it can function as a dictionary for word lookups, it is most effective when used to translate sentences, as it interprets the context to provide accurate translations.

Supported Languages:

VoiceTra supports a diverse set of languages including Japanese, English, Chinese (simplified and traditional), Korean, Thai, French, Indonesian, Vietnamese, Spanish, Myanmar, Arabic, Italian, Ukrainian, Urdu, Dutch, Khmer, Sinhala, Danish, German, Turkish, Nepali, Hungarian, Hindi, Filipino, Polish, Portuguese, Brazilian Portuguese, Malay, Mongolian, Lao, and Russian.

Restrictions and Considerations:

• An internet connection is necessary for the app to function.
• Translation results may take longer to display depending on network conditions.
• Text input is limited to languages supported by the device's OS keyboard.
• Proper font installation is required for correct character display.
• The app may be unavailable if the server is down.
• Users are responsible for any communication fees, including potentially high international data roaming charges.
• Developed for research purposes, the app uses servers set up for research, and data collected is used to enhance speech translation technologies.
• While businesses can test the app, continuous use is recommended through private services licensed by NICT.

For more detailed information, please refer to the "Terms of Use" at voicetra.nict.go.jp/en/attention.html.

What's New in Version 9.0.4:

• Last updated on August 20, 2024
• Now supports Android 14