January 2021 Ambassador Feature Update

Hi everyone,

Over the holidays we spent a lot of time preparing software patches to our cloud system for better performance and greater translation accuracy, and released some additional bug fixes and feature changes inside the apps. Please update your iOS and Android apps and see the details below:

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Ambassador Interpreter Updates

For iOS / Apple phones and tablets, please update your app to version 1.0.9.

For Android phones and tablets, please update your app to version 1.1.7.

Feature Improvements:

• We’ve added voice gender options for Listen mode, so you can change the gender of the voice you hear. Status: released
  

• On iPad, we improved the functionality and design when viewing in landscape, including larger device buttons for interaction. Status: released
  

• You now have the option of increasing the font size to read along with the spoken translations for better viewing in Lecture, Converse, and Listen modes. Status: released
  

• In Converse, we removed the “continuous translation” feature temporarily because it was causing bandwidth issues and would kill the service. For the time being users will need to use the Click-to-Talk button when speaking in Converse mode between guests. We’ll add continuous translation back once we prepare the software patch. Status: temporarily removed until fixed and re-released

Bug Fixes:

• An audio notice would ask the user to “Please repeat again” if an error was encountered during recording, such as when the speech was not recorded accurately, and it would also loop every few seconds when no voices were captured, causing a poor user experience. We have fixed this bug and improved the overall translation service in the cloud so less errors will occur. Status: released
  

• When exiting Converse mode and ending the session, the devices would remain active and not properly shut off the session. This has been fixed. Status: released
  

• We removed the function called “filter external voices” in Converse and replaced it with an automatic function which will clean up the speech before translating it in the cloud. This is removed and fixed in the new app update. Status: released
  

• An update to our cloud service was released which improves the overall translation accuracy. In general, you should experience better performance and accuracy. Status: released

Upcoming / Next Month:

We plan to release the following features and improvements in the next few weeks

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• New video tutorials and walkthroughs have been produced and will be implemented inside the app, so users will have a greater understanding of the product’s features. This will be uploaded into the app in the next update, however they are available now for viewing on our youtube page: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-5MppZgl8cs2bCvOylUs6JJxzhJvREAr Status: pending release
  

• There were bluetooth connection issues where the devices would disconnect from the phone. The main cause appears to be the Ambassador’s battery shutting off after 5 minutes of inactivity and NOT a bluetooth connection issue that is causing the devices to become unpaired. Nonetheless, we are changing the timing so the devices will not shut off until after 10-15 minutes of inactivity. This update will roll out in about 2 weeks. Status: pending release
  

• During the setup process, the owner creates a “Host” profile with their name, language, and gender voice. This simplifies the process when pairing the first earpiece because it will automatically populate this Host’s information so they will not need to enter that information every time they connect to set their default language, etc. However, we have found through user testing that it is creating more complications than necessary for many users and we will be removing this feature in an upcoming app update. Status: pending release

We have a major firmware update pending to be released in a few weeks, and it will include these improvements:

• Improved noise cancellation algorithm to increase accuracy in voice capturing and less voice contamination from people talking loudly nearby
• Improved Bluetooth handling and connection, including in-app functionality
• Greater battery life and performance, including faster charging
• Changes in battery indication levels and low battery feedback (orange LED and audio prompts when low battery)
• Extended battery time from 5 minutes to 10 minutes before the Ambassador turns off Status: pending release

Pilot Smart Earbuds Updates

• We have added 4 new languages, which include Hebrew, Thai, Vietnamese, and Dutch. Status: released
  

• You can now pair your earbuds to iPads and other tablets with enhancements for large screen support, such as increasing font sizes for reading while speaking and listening. Status: released

Future Product Roadmap

We are still preparing some advanced features for users, including saved transcripts and virtual environments for remote conferencing, that we believe are going to enhance the user experiences. We also have been testing a version of the service which will provide television and film translation. We hope to release a beta version of the software in spring, and we’ll be looking for beta testers during this process.

Thanks everyone for all of your questions and feedback, and we’ll be sure to include your ideas and needs into future updates. As always, you can reach us directly at support@waverlylabs.com.

Cheers,

Waverly Labs Team