Richard
With every tech startup trying to sell you their product promising new and innovative features, it can often be difficult for business owners to decide whether the software or service they offer is actually viable. This is where use case studies come into play as proof of practical application of a particularly innovative technology such as machine translation which is not only used in businesses but government organisations and agencies as well.
If your business deals with a lot of international clients or has an international logistics chain, integrating machine translation into your business’s workflow can greatly help streamline and bridge communication gaps. Here are some of the best case studies for machine translation that might prove its viability in integrating with your business.
Online / App Machine Translation for Consumer Use
The most common and popular commercial use of machine translation has been online audio or text machine translation apps. Many reputable e-commerce companies and giant businesses have eased up global communications thanks to translators like iFLYTEK, Yandex Translate, SYSTRAN, Microsoft Translator, and more.
These apps are constantly trained in new languages as well as updated to include trending or buzzwords specific to a particular language. This allows for a more nuanced translation of foreign languages that earlier machine translation apps or software simply couldn’t do. Starting from blue-collar workers like handymen, bankers, lawyers, and students, people from all walks of life have benefited from machine translation.
B2B Domain-Specific (Industry-Specific) Machine Translation
Most commercially mass-consumed machine language apps and software are good at translating day-to-day conversations ranging from simple to complex, but they aren’t particularly updated with industry-specific jargon for many industries. Industry specific machine translation services have proved to be very effective when it comes to B2B industries like architecture, chemistry, automobiles, real estate, and more.
Thanks to these types of industry-specific apps, smaller businesses now have better chances at communicating with international clients for niche products, which was far more difficult before.
Government Application of Machine Translation
Government agencies and organizations all across the world have been one of the earliest adopters of machine translation technology. The US led the charge soon followed by many European and Asian countries like Singapore. Initially, machine translation was used in military and intelligence sectors, but is now integrated into more civilian government branches such as immigration, education, and more.
Many of the machine translation apps and software used by government agencies and organisations are often customised by special contractors to translate social media feeds,document or language translation, audio, images in multilingual content, and more all in real-time.
Application of Machine Translation Technology in Healthcare Industry
One of the most common problems faced by hospitals and many medical organisations that are engaged in charity work is language barrier. For example, in the USA, many Hispanics, Indians, Oriental, and African communities cannot speak proper English but require the required medical support for their particular health condition.
Common translation apps have greatly removed this barrier in the medical industry worldwide thanks to real-time audio-to-audio or audio-to-text machine translation API or apps. Specialised apps like Canopy Speak are also in high demand for translating medical phrases, procedures, encounters, and specialities.
For example, if a Spanish-speaking patient is in critical condition in a Singaporean hospital, using a specialisedtechnology infused with machine translation API such as this, a doctor can easily ask the necessary questions in a yes/no format to perform the initial diagnosis.
Application of Machine Translation in the Finance Industry
Thanks to specialised machine translation software geared towards the financial industry like Lingua Custodia, companies from different countries can collaborate together. Machine translation technology has greatly streamlined many process and processes in the finance world by making time-consuming tasks such as translating key investor information documents (KIIDs), fund prospectus, fund annual reports, fund factsheets, portfolio management reports, and more.
Banks, mortgage companies, investment companies, and many other financial professions have greatly benefitted from the efficiency these software bring to the table.
Real-Time Text-to-Text Translation using NMT
Text-to-text machine translation is equally popular among both casual internet users and businesses alike thanks to its simplicity and brevity. Since texts are usually short the chances of the software making a mistake in translation are almost non-existent. Facebook was one of the first big tech giants to integrate text-to-text translation features on their platform all the way back in 2008.
Now real-time text-to-text machine translation integration is almost universal in many communication apps such as Slack, Gmail, and more.
Real-Time Speech-to-Speech Translation
In the last couple of years, especially during the Covid 19 pandemic, real-time speech-to-speech machine translation software and apps have become increasingly popular as companies are divesting into a more work-from-home model, atomically resulting in diverse international hires best suited for the position. But this has also resulted in a big obstacle in verbal communication as phone and video call meetings have become increasingly common.
Real-Time Image-to-Text Translation
One of the most unique innovations in machine translation since the advent of AI has been real-time image-to-text translation which is a great boon for digital marketing and a few specific niche industries involving data entry. Alt tags are very important for a website’s SEO ranking, and image-to-text translation and apps greatly simplify the job of a digital marketer or data entry specialist.
Final Thoughts
If any of the above-mentioned used cases is applicable to your business or industry, then you should definitely consider implementing machine translation software or apps in your business workflow. Not only will it help you streamline things and make your business effective, but will also help in the long run in partner communications and customer retention.
