Editors Note: A version of the device is being tested and deployed for law enforcement.
The Voice Response Translator (VRT) has provided important voice-to-voice language translation capabilities for US military personnel engaged in direct action combat operations, according to reports provided by military personnel. The 11-ounce VRT was developed over the past 12 years with National Institute of Justice and Defense Department funding and is the only eyes-free, hands-free voice-to-voice translator in existence. This unique capability enables users to maintain weapon readiness and situational awareness while providing instructions, information and asking short questions of foreign nationals in hostile and potentially hostile situations.
Voice Response Translators “contributed immeasurably to the success of more than twenty direct action raids in Iraq in support of national level objectives,” according an after-action report by a Ranger Captain. “In addition to sparing precious time on the objective, they reduced collateral damage by bridging a tremendous language barrier therein resulting in the detention of more than fifteen members of the local insurgent network. The VRT proved invaluable in multiple roles as not only a tactical questioning tool but also as a force protection multiplier used both on objectives and from blocking positions.”
Users speak short commands into the VRT, and translated instructions and questions are produced by it. The system has been deployed with US Army, Special Forces, Marines, Coast Guard, and Navy personnel. The current version translates limited spoken Iraqi responses into English as part of advanced research funded by the Defense Advance Research Projects Agency (DARPA).
The VRT is highly miniaturized (it fits in a standard M4 single ammo pouch) and can be integrated fully with MICH tactical headsets without interfering with communications or fast roping operations.
The system is produced by IWT, Inc. and Laguna Industries, Inc. IWT, Inc., a Fremont, CA-based company, specializes in the development and production of miniaturized speech recognition devices that work in high noise environments. IWT was founded in 1992 by Silicon Valley pioneer John H. Hall, who developed the first successful electronic watch, the first computerized heart pacemaker, the first radiation-hardened computer and other civilian and defense electronics systems. For more information visit their website: http://www.i-w-t.com/
This article was sponsored by police and military personnel who have written books as well as criminal justice online leadership.
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Good article. I used to work with NIJ and the President of IWT (Tim McCune) on this grant from 2004-2006, and currently am still evaluating 3 of his units for the state of North Carolina (I work for the NC Justice Academy). Tim has been an amazing resource for law enforcement with this device, and has gone out of his way to give as much time as possible to help this technology become a staple to the LE community. At a price of $3,200 a unit, a Return On Investment can be done to show a true cost saving measure over repetitve use of conventional "Interpretor" lines.
We will be doing a presentation on the unit on 5/21 at the IACP LEIM conference in Greensboro, NC.
If anyone has any questions, you can email me at RMiller@ncdoj.gov
Keep up the good work here, as the blogs are a good source of information for us Trainers out there.
Roger Miller
Tactical/Technical Trainer
North Carolina Justice Academy
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