Simple Translator

Inspiration

I wanted to test the limits of Alexa's translation capabilities and make it easy for users to look up simple phrases in a different language.

What it does

Very simply put, it translates English phrases into over 100 different languages. All you need to do is say 'Translate' plus the phrase of your choice and the language you wish to use.

How I built it

This translator uses Microsoft Translation services, Google Translate, APL, and APLA to build out responses that will be displayed for the user with a touchable interface. It also uses custom voices in any languages where Polly voices are available (French, Spanish, German, etc...).

Challenges I ran into

Understanding what the user asks for was one of the biggest problems I ran into with this skill and I ended up building a custom recognition tool that strips open ended responses down into parts, determines the language, and seeks out the translations.

Accomplishments that I'm proud of

I'm happy with how many languages it is able to work with as well as alternate voices to give more accurate translations.

What I learned

I learned a lot about generating translations on the fly as well as how difficult it is to take vocal text and return something easy to use and recognize for users.

What's next for Simple Translator

I would like to add the ability for users to collect translations, package them, and email them to be usable in an easier environment to copy and paste.

Built With

• alexa
• apl
• apla