"Survey on the Use of Academic Papers, Patents, and Technical Documents" Conducted — 80% of Readers Find Foreign-Language Academic Papers, Patents, and Technical Documents "Difficult to Understand" 76% Have Experienced Layout Issues with Translation Tools —

BuilBridge UG (Headquarters: Germany; MD: Kyogo Komiyama), in connection with the operation of its PDF translation and reading service “Languise,” conducted a “Survey on the Usage of Academic Papers, Patents, and Technical Documents” targeting 200 professionals in the research and development and intellectual property fields who routinely read foreign-language academic papers, patents, and technical documents.

The survey results showed that 81.5% of respondents found reading foreign-language documents burdensome, and 76.0% had experienced problems with tables, figures, or layout distortion when using translation tools.The top barriers to comprehension were “difficult technical terminology” (58.0%) and “time-consuming reading” (50.0%). Furthermore, 90.0% of respondents said they compare translation results with the original text, revealing complex challenges surrounding the reading of technical documents.

Detailed survey results: https://languise.com/column/survey_1

Percentage of respondents who find reading foreign-language texts burdensome

■ Key Survey Results [200 Professionals in R&D and IP / 2026]

1. Over 80% find reading foreign-language documents a “burden”

81.5% of respondents (38.5% who “feel it very much” + 43.0% who “tend to feel it”) reported feeling burdened by the task of reading foreign-language research papers, patents, and technical documents.Only 5.5% reported “not feeling any burden at all,” highlighting the reality that reading foreign-language documents places a significant burden on professionals in these fields.

2. About 40% Spend “3 Hours or More” on a Single Document

38.5% of respondents reported taking 3 hours or more to finish reading a single document. Since 64.5% of respondents read foreign-language documents at least two days a week, this suggests that time-consuming reading tasks are a routine part of their work.

3. “Technical Terms” and “Charts and Graphs” Are the Main Obstacles to Reading Comprehension

The most common difficulty encountered while reading was “difficult technical terms” (58.0%), followed by “it takes a long time to read” (50.0%), “translation software doesn’t work well” (30.5%), and “charts and graphs are hard to understand” (30.0%).Beyond language barriers, difficulties in “understanding the content”—such as technical terms and charts and graphs—have emerged as common challenges.

4. 76% Have Experienced “Layout Distortions” with Translation Tools

When using translation tools on research papers, patents, and technical documents, 76.0% of respondents (32.5% “frequently” + 43.5% “occasionally”) reported experiencing problems with distorted charts, tables, or layouts.This highlights the reality that existing tools have not kept pace with the needs of specialized documents—such as those containing charts, mathematical formulas, and patent claims—where layout is critical to meaning.

5. 90% “Compare Translation Results with the Original Text”

A total of 90.0% of respondents (56.5% “almost always” + 33.5% “sometimes”) check their translation results by comparing them with the source text. Many professionals do not blindly trust translations and consider verifying the source text an essential step, highlighting the importance of an environment where translations and source texts can be viewed side by side for comparison.

■ Survey Overview

Survey Title: Survey on the Usage of Academic Papers, Patents, and Technical Documents

Survey Participants: Professionals in research and development and

　　　　　　 intellectual property professionals who routinely read foreign-language academic papers, patents, and technical documents

Number of Valid Responses: 200

Survey Period: June–July 2026

Survey Method: Online questionnaire survey

Survey Organizer: BuilBridge UG (Operator of Languise)

*Percentage figures are rounded to the nearest tenth, so the total may not add up to 100%.

*When citing or reprinting the results of this survey, please include a link to the survey page below as the source and clearly state “BuilBridge ‘Survey on the Usage of Academic Papers, Patents, and Technical Documents’.”

URL: https://languise.com/column/survey_1

■Company Overview

Company Name: BuilBridge UG (haftungsbeschraenkt)

Representative: Kyogo Komiyama

Address: Luetticher Str. 36, 40547, Düsseldorf, Germany

Established: April 2024

Capital: 2,000 EUR

URL: https://languise.com/

[Customer Inquiries Regarding This Matter]

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Contact Form: https://languise.com/contactus