Edinburgh Airport in Scotland, the UK, has introduced a language translating device to its security area that can translate speech into 74 different languages to aid international passengers.
Known as Pocketalk, the device was developed by Japanese company Sourcenext and will be used by the airport to enable conversations between staff and non-English speaking passengers.
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When spoken into, the device either delivers the translation through the speaker or displays it on the screen for the other person to read.
It is claimed that the device will ease the security process by breaking down language barriers so that passengers and staff can understand each other.
Intended for daily use, the technology will help any native speakers that are part of the security teams to quickly enable translations.
The airport intends to soon introduce the device to other teams that require passenger interaction in the terminal.
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By GlobalDataEdinburgh Airport CEO Gordon Dewar said: “We’re an international airport in a city and country known for its diversity, its inclusiveness and its welcoming nature, and we want to make passengers feel at home at the airport.
“The security process is one of the most important as we need to ensure the safety of all passengers and staff, so it’s vital that we have the ability to clearly explain the process and help people understand so we can make that process as positive as possible.
“We’re already lucky to have native speakers within our teams; Pocketalk will enhance our ability to talk to those people who come from all over the world to visit Edinburgh and Scotland.”
Last year, Edinburgh Airport deployed Everbridge’s Critical Event Management (CEM) platform to improve critical communications and protect passengers, staff, and service personnel during emergencies.
