Could the Language Barrier Actually Fall Within the Next 10 Years?

Wouldn't it be wonderful to travel to a foreign country without having to worry about the nuisance of communicating in a different language? In a recent Wall Street Journal article, technology policy expert Alec Ross argued that, within a decade or so, we'll be able to communicate with one another via small earpieces with built-in microphones. No more trying to remember your high school French when checking into a hotel in Paris. Your earpiece will automatically translate "Good evening, I have a reservation" to Bon soir, j'ai une réservation - while immediately translating the receptionist's unintelligible babble to "I am sorry, Sir, but your credit card has been declined." Ross argues that because technological progress is exponential, it's only a matter of time.