Featured image for Australian Firm Third Aurora Creates Self-Translating Wine Labels

Australian Firm Third Aurora Creates Self-Translating Wine Labels

by Rudy Sanchez on 07/11/2019 | 2 Minute Read

Gosh bless you, wine.

It's a global phenomenon, both made and consumed all over the world, with consumption projected to reach $207 billion dollars by 2022. But when everyone wants to try your boozy grape juice, it can present a labeling issue for wine producers—how do you communicate with consumers abroad when they speak another language? 

One Australian startup believes it has found a solution using mobile technology, augmented reality (AR), and artificial intelligence to create “self-translating” wine labels.

Third Aurora, the tech startup responsible for the new AR labels, demonstrated in a video how the technology reads the label and using AI, can translate it into English. The sticker itself isn't changing in the physical space, but virtually, on your smartphone screen. The technology can translate over 100 languages.

Editorial photograph

“If you’re a wine lover, it’s a handy addition to have in your front pocket,” said co-founder and Digital Marketing Specialist, Dave Chaffey, adding, “this sort of technology will reach tipping point very quickly – we think it will be towards the end of 2020.”

AR-enabled wine labels can give winemakers around the world a boost in import sales with lucrative markets served by multiple wine-producing regions, such as China, which imports nearly 40% of their wine from countries such as Australia and France, the latter of which accounts for 15% of the total Chinese wine market.

Technology, like AR-powered labels, can be used to enhance packaging in other ways, or be used to eliminate physical packaging altogether. In addition to displaying multiple languages, AR can be used to demonstrate how to use the product, how an item would look like placed in a room or even measure the available floor space to make sure it fits.

Who knew AR wasn’t just for Pokémon games?