Curious ElfMachines that truly understand different languages would be incredibly beneficial. However, we still don’t know how to build them. There are over 700 million illiterate people on the planet, and the advancement in mobile technology, with speech technology, could benefit these people to remain aware and informed. Now, the problem with technology is that we have built it around common languages, say English. And yes, it is reasonable because most people can understand English. However, if you go to a tribal region where people speak their own native language, the technology is of no use if it doesn’t understand the local language. The goal of technological advancements is to make people’s lives easier. However, today, it is only limited to certain populations and not the entire world.
Computer systems need to adapt to the ways people across the globe use language. Indians have spoken their respective mother tongues (21) for thousands of years, building rich oral history traditions. This has served people by bringing down historical perspectives and ancestral stories and passing down morals and knowledge. The same is the case with West Africans who have spoken their native languages for generations.
Speech Technologies
Speech technology and voice technologies have the potential to revolutionize communication for a multilingual audience. With accurate microphones and text-to-speech tools, we can enable more precise and efficient communication. Imagine the possibilities of everyone, including the 700 million illiterate individuals, having access to valuable information on medical care and agriculture.
In today’s market, there is a growing need for speech and voice technologies. These tools can be used in various scenarios, from community meetings to quiet libraries, providing accurate communication without distraction. They can be integrated into devices like computers and smartphones, allowing users to dictate messages, make calls, and access information with ease.
However, it’s important to address the challenge of background noise. To ensure accurate communication, technologies should be able to filter out noise and focus on the speaker’s words. Additionally, considering the diverse needs of the community, it’s crucial to develop speech technologies that are accessible to those with hearing impairments, providing equal opportunities for communication.
By bridging the gap between speech and written language, we can empower individuals to communicate effectively regardless of their educational background. Let us work towards a future where speech technology is widely available, transforming the way we interact and share information.
Voice Technology
Languages spoken by minorities and smaller populations are often victims of commercial prioritization. This is why speech technologies aren’t available in local languages. Moreover, groups and organizations with power over technological services and goods tend to entertain the same few languages. This makes it easy for them to insufficiently consider those who don’t speak those languages. Populations that speak local languages, like in Africa, are grossly underrepresented in universities, companies, and research labs that are working on or have developed speech recognition technologies.
It is unfortunate to see that technological systems are failing to provide the same quality of products and services for diverse populations. It is already known that digital technologies and innovations can have diverse outcomes for people of different races. However, the present scenario makes it look like the current technological systems are treating some population groups as if they don’t even exist.
Nevertheless, you cannot just blame institutions and global technology leaders for the underrepresentation and commercial prioritization. “Lack of data” is one of the most significant reasons why speech recognition technology has not reached the smaller population groups. In order to create speech recognition technology, developers and analytical teams need to access large annotated data sets. Those who have no access to speech recognition technology and other smaller population groups tend to fall in the ‘low resource’ category. This means that as compared to high-resource languages, low-resource languages have only a few available data sets.
Developers are working on tackling this issue. They have been successful in developing the first speech recognition models for African languages like Susu, Pular, and Maninka that are spoken by a combined 10 million people across seven countries. They make up for a 68% illiterate population. Development in artificial intelligence will play a vital role in helping developers and researchers understand local languages so that advancements can be made.
Conclusion
In conclusion, technology has the power to bridge language barriers and bring people closer together. With advancements in speech and voice technologies, we can empower individuals from diverse linguistic backgrounds to communicate effectively. It is essential for developers, researchers, and global institutions to prioritize the development of technology that caters to all languages and communities. By doing so, we can create a more inclusive world where everyone has access to information and communication.
In today’s market, there are various speech technologies and voice technologies available. These technologies provide accurate communication, even in the presence of background noise. With the use of an accurate microphone, text-to-speech capabilities, and other innovative tools, we can ensure that communication is accessible and effective for a multilingual audience.
Speech and voice technologies have many uses in different settings, such as community meetings, schools, and telephone calls. They enable individuals with hearing impairments to participate fully in conversations, allowing them to be heard and understood. Additionally, these technologies can be valuable tools for individuals who have difficulty speaking or have limited speech abilities.
In the age of remote work and virtual communication, the need for accurate and reliable communication devices is more important than ever. Speech technologies and voice technologies play a crucial role in ensuring that individuals can communicate effectively over audio and video platforms. They help overcome challenges such as background noise, speaker quality, and audio distortion.
Furthermore, the use of speech technologies and voice technologies in educational settings can benefit students of all abilities. For children with learning disabilities or those who struggle with reading, speech-to-text capabilities can provide a useful tool for dictating their thoughts and reducing distraction. Additionally, text-to-speech capabilities can assist students in accessing information and understanding content.
In conclusion, the development and implementation of speech technologies and voice technologies are essential to create a more inclusive and accessible world. These technologies have the power to break down language barriers, improve communication, and empower individuals from diverse backgrounds. Let us continue to push the boundaries of technology and strive towards creating systems that are inclusive and accessible to all.
