Universal translators have been the topic of many science-fiction works for many years. Once intergalactic space travel is possible, there was still the issue of communicating with alien species who spoke with languages never encountered before.
Star Trek
In the original Star Trek series, the universal translator was embedded into the pins worn the uniforms of Starfleet personnel. This pin would allow personnel to speak in their native language. However, all lifeforms in the vicinity would hear their own native language with this device.
Doctor Who
The TARDIS also serves as a universal translator by translating everything spoken into the language of the current location. However, it doesn’t appear to work quite right when you attempt to speak in the language of the target location. As we see in this video clip from the “Fires of Pompeii” episode.
Muama Enence Smart Portable Voice Translator
Although we are still years away from universal translators, there a lot of great gadgets on the market today that can translate from one language to another. These devices can range in price from $30.00 to over several hundred dollars. The Muama Enence Smart Portable Voice Translator is on the cheaper end of the price scale. It is not completely standalone since you will need an Android or IOS Bluetooth enabled device to run the app from. But, this device can translate the most commonly used phrases from over 40 different languages in seconds.