Found in Translation

Found in Translation (2020)

Google Creative Lab, Studio TheGreenEyl, Dominique Chen

For the 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT exhibition “traNslatioNs – Understanding Misunderstanding,” Dominique curated and produced a new interactive installation. To realize the concept of “immersing oneself in a shower of multiple languages to simultaneously experience the possibilities and impossibilities of translation,” visitors speak into a microphone and their input is instantly translated by Google Translate into 23 different languages, each of which is then spoken aloud through its own speaker. At the same time, a real-time graphic visualizes the translation algorithm’s internal process, revealing the machine-learned representations of each language space and prompting reflection on the differences and commonalities between human and computer translation. This work was honored with the 2021 ADC AWARDS – Experiential Design Prize.

The visitor’s speech is recognized and projected onto the center screen.

The speech is simultaneously translated into 23 languages.

Animations of three dimensional space of the translation algorithm are projected in realtime.