Here’s a quirky application which was developed to help travellers get round the language barrier.
Image It 1.1 aims to help globetrotters make themselves understood in any situation by using pictograms to communicate what they need.
The application does not require an internet connection and lets users pick from more than 450 pictograms to put a sequence of up to three together to convey a message.
Users could, for example, put together images of a taxi, the airport and a currency symbol.
Image It, which works on iOS and Android devices, already has a number of set categories such as food, emergencies, accommodation and transport.
The app also enables users to create their own pictograms, insert pictures from their phones and draw or write on existing pictograms.
The idea originated from a traveller who injured himself on a trip to Laos and needed to ask locals where to get hold of bandages etc.
Here’s a clip:
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Ideal for backpackers – is there a ‘sex’ and ‘booze’ category? Imagine the pictograms for that. You could have a lot of fun with this!
I literally walk around with a white board around around my neck, here in Japan. This does seem useful, it actually fits in my pocket.
Great app- good connection to http://www.tnooz.com/2012/01/23/how-to/how-rich-visuals-generate-more-travel-bookings/
Looks pretty limited in range and depth. There is naturally more richness available to everytone through creative gesiculations than rummaging around for a phone app when you are dealing face to face with someone. I think this is even a step down from emoticons – which at lest have the advantage of establishing a basic empathic relationship between people. And if the hamburger is now the universal pictogram for ‘food” we might as well give up the idea that travelling the world can expand your mind and develop your palate!
Great app – the modern day version of raising your voice and speaking slowly
This does look interesting – but there is an non-technological alternative. It’s called Esperanto.
I hope you’ll allow me to add that Esperanto is celebrating its 125th anniversary this year. That’s quite an achievement for what started as the idea of just one man. It has survived wars and strikes and economic crises, and continues to attract young learners.
In reply to Bill Chapman Esperanto is in fact more widespread than people imagine. It is now in the top 100 languages, out of 6,800 worldwide. It is the 29th most used language in Wikipedia, ahead of Danish and Arabic. It is a language choice of, Skype, Firefox, Ubuntu and Facebook and Google translate recently added to its prestigious list of 64 languages.
Esperanto is a living language – see http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8837438938991452670
Their online course http://www.lernu.net has 125 000 hits per day and Esperanto Wikipedia enjoys 400 000 hits per month. That can’t be bad
http://youtu.be/1MEU4zPogaU
This solution is a system that searches, locates, catalogs, monitors and places video content.
The system analyzes the context of the page in which it is embedded, identifies keywords (states, cities and sites) and looks for relevant quality video content from all over the web.
The system ensures that the content is available at any given moment and if not, removes it from the website.
It should be noted that this system is singular world and there are no Web site in comparison booking/reservation overnight stays (accommodation).