EUROSPEECH 2001 Scandinavia
7th European Conference on Speech Communication and Technology
2nd INTERSPEECH Event

Aalborg, Denmark
September 3-7, 2001

                  

Real-time Multilingual Communication by means of Prestored Conversational Units

Norman Alm (1), Mamoru Iwabuchi (2), Peter N. Andreasen (1), Kenryu Nakamura (3), Iain R. Murray (1)

(1) University of Dundee, UK; (2) Hiroshima University, Japan; (3) Kagawa University, Japan

A computer mediated communication system has been developed which can offer real time multilingual communication, as long as users stay within the boundaries of prestored conversational units. The system was designed originally to give non-speaking people a multi-lingual capability. However, the system could also be used by people whose only communication disadvantage is not being able to speak a foreign language. It is based on research into conversational modelling and utterance prediction, making use of prestored material. In comparison with a multi-lingual phrase book, the system helped users to have more natural conversation, and to take more control of the interaction. This project is an interesting example of the way in which systems developed for people with severe disabilities can often have useful general applications.

Full Paper

Bibliographic reference.  Alm, Norman / Iwabuchi, Mamoru / Andreasen, Peter N. / Nakamura, Kenryu / Murray, Iain R. (2001): "Real-time multilingual communication by means of prestored conversational units", In EUROSPEECH-2001, 2401-2404.