VoiceTra is an invaluable speech translation application designed specifically for travel-related phrases, making it an essential tool for travelers and those welcoming visitors to Japan. This free-to-download app supports an impressive range of 31 languages, and its user-friendly interface allows you to verify the accuracy of translations effortlessly.

VoiceTra leverages cutting-edge technologies from the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT), including high-precision speech recognition, translation, and speech synthesis. It converts your spoken words into various languages and delivers the results through synthesized voice output. The app also offers the flexibility to instantly switch translation directions, enabling seamless communication between two people speaking different languages using a single device. For languages that do not support voice input, text input is available.

This app is particularly well-suited for travel-related scenarios, covering a wide range of situations such as:

• Transportation: Buses, trains, rental cars, taxis, airports, and transit.
• Shopping: Restaurants, shopping, and payments.
• Hotels: Check-ins, check-outs, and cancellations.
• Sightseeing: Overseas travel and assisting foreign customers.

VoiceTra is also recognized for its utility in disaster prevention and response.

While it can function as a dictionary for individual word lookups, using VoiceTra to input complete sentences is recommended, as it enhances the contextual accuracy of the translations.

Supported Languages

VoiceTra supports the following languages:

• Japanese, English, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (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 using VoiceTra.
• The time taken to display translation results can vary based on network conditions.
• Text input is supported for languages that the operating system's keyboard accommodates.
• Proper character display depends on the fonts installed on your device.
• The app may become unavailable if the server is down.
• Users are responsible for any communication fees, including potentially high international data roaming charges.
• Developed initially for research, VoiceTra uses servers set up for research purposes, with collected data used to improve speech translation technologies.
• While testing for business use is permissible, for continuous use, consider services that have licensed VoiceTra's technology.
• For more detailed information, please review 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, VoiceTra now supports Android 14, ensuring compatibility with the latest operating system for an optimized user experience.