A Japanese company has created software that turns your mobile phone into a powerful translator. All you do is scan English words into your phone using the camera and the Japanese words come up onto your screen instantly. Of course, if you are reading this article it probably isn’t all that useful for you.

The logically named “Kamera Jiten”, or Camera Dictionary, has an onboard database which offers fast and accurate translation. Once you have your translation, you can access an online resource for further information like explanations, examples and sound files teaching you how to pronounce the words.

The Camera Dictionary, made by Mediaseek, is promoted as being faster than having to type in the words on the phone keyboard or on a keyboard of a translator, especially since it is so easy to make mistakes typing when you are working with an alphabet which isn’t your own.