For just 150 riyals.. A student invents an instant translation device using artificial intelligence that attaches to your glasses
Imagine walking in a foreign country and not understanding the language, or being in a hospital and needing quick translation, or attending a lecture in a language you don’t master. This new innovation could change everything.
In an increasingly interconnected world, language barriers remain the biggest obstacle to effective communication. However, a British student at the University of Plymouth may have found the solution. Melia Mohammed Asrif (22 years old) has designed an instant translation device costing no more than just 30 British pounds (about 150 Saudi riyals), which can translate speech and convert it into text displayed directly in front of your eyes through your glasses!
How does this revolutionary device work?
The device designed by Melia as part of her graduation project in electrical and electronic engineering works with smart and simple technology at the same time:
- Sound capture: A small built-in microphone captures the speech around you.
- AI translation: An artificial intelligence model instantly translates the speech and converts it into written text.
- Transmission: The translated text is sent via Wi-Fi to a microcontroller.
- Display: The translated text is reflected through a mirror and lens to appear directly in your field of vision on your glasses, like the subtitles in movies!
Melia told the BBC: “The idea for the project came to me because I grew up in a multilingual environment, and I was always the person who didn’t understand what others were saying. Current translation tools rely on expensive smartphones or smart glasses that interrupt conversations.”
How can this innovation benefit Saudi Arabia?
Saudi Arabia is a multicultural and multinational society, where millions of expatriates live and work. This device could be a game-changer in:
- 🏥 Healthcare sector: Translating doctors’ explanations for expatriate patients in hospitals and health centers.
- 🕋 Hajj and Umrah: Translating instructions and guidelines for pilgrims from over 180 nationalities annually.
- 🎓 Education: Translating lectures for international students in Saudi universities, which host over 60,000 international students.
- 👂 Hearing-impaired individuals: The device excels in transcription and can help the hearing-impaired follow conversations easily.
- 💼 Business sector: Facilitating communication with foreign partners and investors at conferences and meetings.
Key points about the device
- Privacy first: The device does not store user data or upload it to an external cloud, unlike many current services.
- Higher accuracy for specific languages: It can be programmed for a specific language to achieve greater translation accuracy.
- No constant internet required: It works independently after downloading the language model.
- Recycled components: Made from recycled and low-cost materials, making it environmentally friendly.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Who needs this device?
Anyone facing a language barrier daily. International students, travelers, employees in multinational companies, including millions of expatriates in Saudi Arabia, doctors, and those with hearing disabilities.
Where can it be used?
In hospitals and medical clinics, international universities and schools, airports and hotels, international conferences and exhibitions, and multinational workplaces. In Saudi Arabia specifically, it can be used in the Two Holy Mosques and the holy sites to serve pilgrims.
How much does it cost?
Only about £30 (equivalent to 150 Saudi Riyals). This is dozens of times cheaper than other smart glasses that exceed thousands of riyals, such as Ray-Ban Meta or Google Glass.
How long did it take to develop?
It was designed by the student in just 6 months as part of her university graduation project.
How do I start using it now?
Currently, the device is still a prototype, but Milea hopes to develop and commercially launch it soon. You can follow the project news through the University of Plymouth to know the commercial launch date.
Source: BBC News – “Student’s £30 device ‘translates in real time'” (July 2026)
