Researchers from Purdue University’s School of Electrical and Computer Engineering have created an application for phone or any other portable device that is able to translate specific menu items within a fraction of a second and with no need to connect to a server. Before going to a particular country, the user would download a region and language-specific configuration and database.

The user types in the dish name, and immediately is able to read the best translations along with other information, including pictures and ingredients. If appropriate, the user is prompted to ask the waiter questions and warns about ingredients in the dish, using symbols, making this app particularly useful for those with allergies. It also displays questions and suggestions in the host language as well as the visitor language, in order that the diner and waiter can understand each other, and the nature of the diner’s concerns: for example, wheat intolerance or peanut allergy.

The app does not take up much of the memory store of the phone and nor does it use up much energy. It has been developed by the researchers in order that it can work perfectly on a mobile phone with no need for recourse to the Internet.

Source: Purdue University

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