Breaking Barriers: How Timekettle’s Real-Time AI Translation Earbuds Redefine Global Communication

At CES 2025, Gizmodo met with Leal Tian, founder of Timekettle, to explore the company’s approach to cross-language communication. The award-winning tech innovator, recognized with prestigious accolades like the CES Innovation Award, is redefining how people connect across linguistic boundaries.

With over 400,000 users and a commitment to AI translation technology, Leal Tian shared compelling insights into Timekettle’s vision of a world without language barriers.

Leal Tian, founder and CEO of Timekettle © Timekettle

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Gizmodo: Timekettle has been making waves with its innovative translator devices. What drives the success of Timekettle?

Leal Tian: Our core belief is simple: communication is more than just translation. From the start, we aimed to bridge the gaps between people—not just by translating words but by creating authentic, immersive communication experiences. Our slogan, “Communication is connection” really embodies that philosophy.

“Communication is at the heart of human connection”

Gizmodo: Could you elaborate on how Timekettle achieves this immersive communication experience?

Leal Tian: Our focus is to make technology invisible. For example, with our Wearable Translator series, users don’t feel like they’re using a device. They maintain natural eye contact, use body language, and truly connect. Babel OS is the backbone of this effort. It’s not just software—it’s a whole ecosystem integrating hardware, cloud processing, and AI.

© Gizmodo

Gizmodo:  What features make Babel OS so unique?

Leal Tian: The first feature is AI Semantic Segmentation: It enables lightning-fast translation by optimizing speech segmentation for AI processing. Utilizing a vast database and sophisticated algorithms, the system intelligently segments sentences and predicts their completion. This feature expedites the translation process but also ensures a high level of accuracy. With this innovation, our devices achieve unprecedented speed, delivering translations in real-time with near-zero latency.

Babel OS also includes features like voice cloning which goes beyond basic speech recognition. It captures your words, your tone and emotions so that your personality comes through in a different language. For instance, if you’re happy or excited, your voice in the translation reflects that.

We also focus on solving practical issues, like offline translation: Users can download translation packages for use in areas with poor connectivity. While cloud-based translations are more accurate due to processing power, we’re constantly improving offline capabilities to ensure seamless experiences.

Gizmodo: Data privacy is a hot topic these days. How does Timekettle ensure user data is secure?

Leal Tian: That’s a top priority for us and our business model doesn’t rely on user data for profit. We strictly adhere to GDPR in Europe and similar standards globally. Beyond that, we engage independent third-party audits to ensure our systems are secure. Users can trust that their data is private and safe with us.

Gizmodo: Speaking of innovation, what’s next for Timekettle?

Leal Tian: In the short term, we’re focused on improving translation accuracy, particularly for names and specialized terms. We’re also working on reducing lag, aiming to match the speed of human interpreters. Our next major milestone is showcasing advanced voice cloning technology at CES.

In the long term, we envision communication tools becoming so integrated into daily life that users forget they exist. Imagine translators embedded in glasses, earphones, or even everyday objects.

One area we’re particularly excited about is creating more personalized user experiences. For instance, we’re developing a system that allows users to customize translation preferences for specific names or terms for greater accuracy and efficiency. Additionally, innovations like voice cloning that reflect both tone and emotion are key to making conversations feel truly natural.

“We aimed to bridge the gaps between people—not just by translating words but by creating authentic, immersive communication experiences”

Gizmodo: What do you think makes Timekettle unique in this space?

Leal Tian: It’s our mindset: while others focus on combining translation with trendy devices like smart glasses, we prioritize the natural flow of human communication. For us, it’s not just about hardware or software—it’s about how these elements work together to solve real communication problems.

Timekettle at CES © Gizmodo

Gizmodo: Can you share an example of how Babel OS has improved user experience?

Leal Tian: Like mentioned before, A feature like voice cloning allows users to hear translations in their own voice, maintaining a natural flow. Users have told us this makes conversations feel personal and less robotic. Another example is customizable translation preferences. When our users can teach the system specific names or terms, it effectively ensures accuracy in future interactions for them.

Gizmodo: What’s your message to our readers?

Leal Tian: Communication is at the heart of human connection. At Timekettle, we’re committed to breaking down barriers, not just linguistically but culturally. Our journey is ongoing, and we’re excited to continue innovating to bring people closer together.