Imagine how many global issues and conflicts are caused by our inability to communicate.

New technologies may soon be able to break down communicative barriers, and a device called Pilot is leading the way.

Pilot looks like a small earbud or hearing aid, and operates by analysing incoming speech and translating them in real time.

It means that two people could soon speak to each other in completely different languages, but understand perfectly.

One reason that real-time translation has not been attempted yet is that it is extremely computer-intensive.

But engineers now say a revolution in how they compute information, using neural network models and machine learning algorithms, means that natural language translation in a reasonable amount of time is possible.

Pilot outsources its processing needs to a smart phone to reach real-time speeds.

The device is made up of two separate earpieces. When the user wants to communicate with someone in a language they do not understand, they hand them one of the earpieces to begin.

The video below has been created to show how Pilot may work in the real world.