Phase

A wearable translation device that enables two people speaking different languages to have a more natural, face-to-face conversation.

problem

Communicating across language barriers can be challenging, particularly in situations where people need to have natural, face-to-face conversations. Existing translation tools often rely on phones or screens, requiring users to pause the conversation, share a device, or shift their attention away from each other. This can make conversations feel fragmented and less natural, creating a need for a more seamless way for people speaking different languages to communicate directly.

solution

Phase is a wearable translation device designed to make conversations between people speaking different languages more natural and seamless. By translating speech directly through each user’s earpiece, Phase allows both people to speak and listen in their own language without relying on a phone or screen. Its shared, face-to-face design keeps the focus on the conversation rather than the technology facilitating it.

Phase began with looking at how people navigate conversations when they do not share a common language. Existing translation solutions often make users speak to a device rather than to each other, interrupting the natural flow of conversation. But communication extends beyond words, it also relies on expressions, tone, gestures, and other social cues. This led to exploring a translation device that could reduce the technological barrier while keeping people focused on each other.

The research moved beyond translation accuracy to understand what makes a conversation feel natural. It explored how facial expressions, tone, gestures, pauses, and environmental cues contribute to meaning, and how a translation device could account for these elements without adding another layer between people.

The concept evolved into a shared wearable translation device, with each person wearing one side and receiving translated speech directly into their ear. Cameras and microphones help capture expressions, gestures, and environmental context, while noise cancellation isolates speech. A speaker also allows Phase to support situations where one person needs to hear the translation or when communicating with a larger group.

The physical design keeps the technology unobtrusive. The two halves connect magnetically when not in use, while physical controls allow users to adjust volume without relying on a screen. This makes Phase adaptable to travel, two-person conversations, and group interactions.

Through these explorations, Phase became an attempt to preserve the social qualities of conversation while removing the language barrier, combining real-time translation with contextual cues and a form designed around face-to-face interaction.

year

2026

timeframe

2 Weeks

tools

Rhino, Keyshot, Photoshop, Framer