Amazon patents a real-time accent translator

Amazon has applied for a patent for an audio system that detects the accent of a speaker and changes it to the accent of the listener, perhaps helping eliminate communication barriers in many situations and industries. The patent doesn't mean the company has made it (or necessarily that it will be granted), but there's also no technical reason why it can't do so. The application, spotted by Patent Yogi, describes "techniques for accent translation." Although couched in the requisite patent-ese, the method is quite clear. After a little translation of my own, here's what it says: In a two-party conversation, received audio is analyzed to see if it matches with one of a variety of stored accents.