Translation at the Click of a Button

The 1st Minute mobile app by LanguageMAPS, Inc. is designed to help first responders overcome language barriers without any guessing or delays from waiting for translators.

The app prompts the patient to choose what language they speak. They then indicate symptoms they are experiencing on a body map and answer additional questions including medical and allergy history. The answers are translated for the first responder by the click of a button.

The 1st Minute mobile app doesn’t require a network connection because it is set up to work from a database of pre-translated questions.

“We do this so first responders can work on the fly and provide answers in an environment where they might not have cell coverage or a network connection,” says Lance Manning, president of LanguageMAPS, Inc.

The design of the app is targeted for first responders, so language and intelligence is built into the program to help translate medical terminology, compared to a general translation service like Google Translate.  

One of the goals of the app is for translation services to be less cost-prohibitive, Manning says. The 1st Minute mobile app is available for free for early adopters, but the free version has limited language options. Additional languages can be purchased through a premium version, which will include 50 or more languages by fall, Manning says.

With the app still in its early stages, Manning says customization in terms of look and feel might be coming soon.

“We have groups beta-testing the app in city fire departments and in major hospital systems, and there is a strong interest,” says Manning.

For more, visit https://1stminuteapp.com.