RevTranslator

LKLD · Sep 23, 2014

What's next, Bluetooth? https://global.yamaha-motor.com/about/brand/apps/

Uncle Hud · Sep 24, 2014

Ummm, what am I missing? I don't understand what this is supposed to do -- or if it's a joke.

ionbeam · Sep 24, 2014

This is the key statement: The app was originally created in Japanese... This is another gold standard chindōgu product.

We agree that the engine of any machine should do the talking, but Yamaha Motor Company seems to have taken that phrase very seriously. The company announced the launch of the English version of its smartphone application - RevTranslator that translates engine sounds of bikes into over 100 million different combinations of preset phrases to make the bike communicate to the rider. The app can be downloaded for free via the App Store and Google Play

The English version follows the Japanese version and supplies riders with a translation of what their bikes are saying. What this app requires is a smartphone sound recorder to record the engine's sound and understand the bike's speed, the time of the day, weather and other complex information.

On the basis this information, it communicates with one of over 100 million preset phrases. Yamaha says that the engine's translated "emotions" vary depending on the engine sound, the time of day and the weather. The users can choose from six different characters to represent the bike, including a 'cool' male character or a 'cute' female-the responses evaluated to be communicated are influenced by these personalities.

Every time the user translates, the user can also accumulate points by using the application to unlock rare caricatures of various Yamaha products used worldwide while having fun hearing the engine "talk".

RevTranslator: Free app that is only slightly overpriced

It works like this: You hold your phone up to your motorcycle’s engine and rev it and in a few seconds your phone gives you a translation. The app was originally created in Japanese, but now it’s available in English. Supposedly it gives different responses, depending on what kind of mood it sounds like your YZF-R6 or ratty old 1989 V-Max is in.

The app is free, but for philosophical reasons, I refuse to download it anyway, so I can’t honestly say I’ve tested it. Nor can I tell you firsthand any examples of the alleged 100 million word combinations it is capable of producing when it “translates” your engine noises. Others have cited examples such as "Running is my happiness" and "I’ve been alive and kicking since the morning! I’ve been looking forward so much to this moment when I can talk to you. Now I don’t know what to do."

Unfortunately, it never seems to tell you something useful, such as, “The exhaust valves on the number two cylinder are a little tight.”

The existence of this app makes me sad on two levels.

First, I can’t help but wish that Yamaha had spent this money making their motorcycles better, instead of creating an utterly useless app. Yamaha could have spent the money on something like, oh, I don’t know, maybe using real metal for the FZ-09 fork springs instead of making them out of yakisoba noodles scavenged from the Dumpster behind the restaurant next to the factory. Or giving the Super Ténéré more than one horsepower per $150 of MSRP.

Second, the app has already been installed more than 10,000 times from Google Play alone, which leads me to fear the human species may not have enough intelligence to ensure continued survival.

Stupid motorcycle-themed ways to waste your time becoming ever more engrossed in your iPhone? There’s an app for that.

RevTranslator analyzes engine sounds and then converts them into computer-generated speeches using a database of over 100 million phrases. Using additional factors such as time of day and weather, as well as engine sounds, it assesses operational status to convey the engine's "feelings."

Example phrases include: "Running is my happiness," "Give me a break, will you?" and "Let me go along with you until the end of the world."

"RevTranslator enables customers to take a fresh view of their engines," said Yusuke Tsunemoto, who led the app development team for Yamaha. "Although the app is meant to be entertaining, customers can use it to better understand the condition of their Yamaha motorcycles, sport boats, snowmobiles and generators."

The app was inspired by the brand slogan, "Revs your Heart," which expresses Yamaha Motor's desire to provide customers with joyful and exciting experiences.

While using the app, users accumulate points that can be used to unlock digital mascots and other exclusive content related to Yamaha products worldwide.

The Japanese version of RevTranslator was released on July 23 and created a buzz in cyberspace among motorcycle enthusiasts and other parties.

LKLD · Sep 24, 2014

Chindogu? How could you possibly know of that? It does fit that description though.

ionbeam · Sep 24, 2014

LKLD said:
Chindogu? How could you possibly know of that? It does fit that description though.

I worked with Japanese engineers for years. Their engineering problem solutions were not always what our idea would have been. Trust me, Chindogu is alive and rampant in Japan.