Translation software aims to tackle a scarcity of textbooks for children who are visually-impaired
Published on March 18, 2008
Creating textbooks in Braille for visually-impaired schoolchildren will now be much easier. With the development of a new software, any Thai documents or textbooks can easily be translated into Braille without having any knowledge of Braille.
The software has been developed by a research team at the Computer Science Department of Chiang Mai University.
"Just type in normal Thai words, and the software will translate each word and text into Braille automatically," Rattasit Sukhahuta, the deputy director of Chiang Mai University's Information Technology Service Centre and the project leader, said.
The team developed the software hoping to tackle the scarcity of Braille textbooks for Thai visually-impaired students.
Normally, creating a Braille textbook takes so long that visually-impaired students, who study with sighted children, have to wait for their textbooks even after the lesson has been completed.
As part of the project, Rattasit said, the team adopted what it called natural language processing (NLP) technology. It also spent years studying Braille and its grammar so that one could translate from Thai to Braille with almost 100 per cent accuracy.
As of now, the software is under trial at the Northern School for the Blind, a school for visually-impaired students in Chiang Mai province.
The school's director, Pramuan Ploykamonchun, said the school has used the software to translate Thai Grade 1 to Grade 12 textbooks in eight subjects.
With this software, he said, the school could produce a variety of textbooks to students faster.
This offers visually-impaired students a better chance of having the textbook when the text material is discussed in class with their sighted classmates who can also help them catch up with the lesson.
"It's really useful for our students because now they will no longer lag their friends," Pramuan said.
According to the test results, the software can translate 200 A4-size pages of Thai content into Braille in just ten seconds. After the software translates the Thai content into Braille, it also sends the result to be printed through the Braille printer for textbook production.
The software trial has been on at the school for seven months.
Rattasit said even though the translation software offers highly accurate translation, it will be initially suitable for use with normal, unformatted documents.
The project, which will last for a year, received Bt190,000 funding from the National Science and Technology Development Agency.
Rattasit said the next step will be to enable the software to make accurate translations of mathematics and scientific formulae.
"We hope the new project will be completed within a year," Rattasit said.
Pongpen Sutharoj
The Nation
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Published on March 18, 2008
Creating textbooks in Braille for visually-impaired schoolchildren will now be much easier. With the development of a new software, any Thai documents or textbooks can easily be translated into Braille without having any knowledge of Braille.
The software has been developed by a research team at the Computer Science Department of Chiang Mai University.
"Just type in normal Thai words, and the software will translate each word and text into Braille automatically," Rattasit Sukhahuta, the deputy director of Chiang Mai University's Information Technology Service Centre and the project leader, said.
The team developed the software hoping to tackle the scarcity of Braille textbooks for Thai visually-impaired students.
Normally, creating a Braille textbook takes so long that visually-impaired students, who study with sighted children, have to wait for their textbooks even after the lesson has been completed.
As part of the project, Rattasit said, the team adopted what it called natural language processing (NLP) technology. It also spent years studying Braille and its grammar so that one could translate from Thai to Braille with almost 100 per cent accuracy.
As of now, the software is under trial at the Northern School for the Blind, a school for visually-impaired students in Chiang Mai province.
The school's director, Pramuan Ploykamonchun, said the school has used the software to translate Thai Grade 1 to Grade 12 textbooks in eight subjects.
With this software, he said, the school could produce a variety of textbooks to students faster.
This offers visually-impaired students a better chance of having the textbook when the text material is discussed in class with their sighted classmates who can also help them catch up with the lesson.
"It's really useful for our students because now they will no longer lag their friends," Pramuan said.
According to the test results, the software can translate 200 A4-size pages of Thai content into Braille in just ten seconds. After the software translates the Thai content into Braille, it also sends the result to be printed through the Braille printer for textbook production.
The software trial has been on at the school for seven months.
Rattasit said even though the translation software offers highly accurate translation, it will be initially suitable for use with normal, unformatted documents.
The project, which will last for a year, received Bt190,000 funding from the National Science and Technology Development Agency.
Rattasit said the next step will be to enable the software to make accurate translations of mathematics and scientific formulae.
"We hope the new project will be completed within a year," Rattasit said.
Pongpen Sutharoj
The Nation
Discuss
Add this link to...
Tell a friend
Bury
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