Tech Trends: A look into the latest dental and general technology on the market

In the science-fiction realm of the beloved Star Trek franchise, life forms from different worlds, presumably speaking unique languages, are seemingly able to communicate in the same room with each other in real time because of a technology known as the universal translator. While the technology does not yet exist, advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) have made that vision of the future closer to reality. Group Transcribe, a Microsoft Garage Project, is an app for iOS that brings real-time transcription and translation for in-person meetings and conversations.

To use Group Transcribe, each individual in a local in-person conversation must have their own iPhone with internet access and the app installed. The app requires permissions to use Bluetooth and the microphone in order to work. Each person enters their name and preferred language in the app on their own iPhone. One person taps “start” on the home screen to host a conversation. Others will see a detected nearby session identified by a unique five-letter code and can tap “join” on their screens to be included. Once all people have joined the session, each person can converse normally in their own language using their iPhone within arm’s length. The screen will display a live, high-quality transcript and translation of each person in the conversation in their preferred language. The live transcript feature also allows people who are deaf or hard of hearing to fully engage in a conversation regardless of the need for translation. Transcripts are available for review, export and sharing after the session is over. The app supports languages spoken in 80-plus locales throughout the world. The timeliness and accuracy of the transcript is greatly dependent on the internet bandwidth available and the quality of the audio speech picked up by each device microphone. While there is no limit to the number of people who can join the in-person conversation session, Microsoft states that it works best with up to four people.

As technology evolves in the coming years, the Star Trek universal translator will eventually become a reality. Group Transcribe, with its ability to bring real-time transcription and translation to small in-person meetings and conversations, is a remarkable concept that foreshadows future possibilities.

— Hubert Chan, DDS

Lavalier microphones are common mainstays in lecture halls, television news and interviews. These unobtrusive clip-on microphones deliver clear audio when subjects are moving or are standing far away. While the wired lavaliers have been long accessible and affordable in the consumer market, compact wireless systems remained expensive. However, thanks to improved Bluetooth technology, reliability, affordability and quality, they are now attainable for consumers looking for a wireless lavalier system. Most popular in this emerging space is the Rode Wireless Go, a favorite gadget among the social media influencer crowd.

The entire Rode Wireless Go microphone system is smaller than most cellphones. It consists of a transmitter and receiver. The transmitter houses a microphone and only has a single power button; the receiver is less sparse with three buttons (power, volume and pairing). Both have sturdy clips that capably double as cold shoe camera adapters and garment clips. Operation is simple: Turn on the devices then proceed to talk into the transmitter. The audio quality is unquestionably superior to any “built-in” microphone on a camera or phone. Users can be separated at up to 50 feet within line of sight without introduction of interference or a significant drop in transmission. Auxiliary microphones can be plugged into the transmitter via the 3.5 mm port. Similarly, the receiver outputs audio via a 3.5 mm port, so it is compatible with most recording devices on the market today. All told, the Rode Wireless Go is an easy-to-use, affordable and versatile wireless microphone system that can upgrade audio quality for users seeking to improve their teledentistry capabilities, expand into the remote teaching market or create media.

— Alexander Lee, DMD