In brief
Eldventure converts speech in 10 dialects into Chinese text to preserve older people's stories and support communication. At the time of this February 2019 article, it had won several technology awards but was not yet available to download; the team planned to establish a social enterprise after graduation.
Hong Kong has more than one million older people, many of whom still prefer to speak their hometown dialects. Their unique life experiences offer valuable lessons for younger generations. Hoping to preserve and pass on the oral histories of the older generation, IVE graduates and students have created a mobile app that collects older people's stories. The app recognises 10 dialects and converts their spoken hometown dialects into text, helping them express themselves and communicate. The app has won several technology awards in China and overseas. The students involved plan to establish a social enterprise after graduation and compile the stories into books for educational outreach in primary and secondary schools.
IVE Higher Diploma in Artificial Intelligence and Mobile Applications Development graduate Wei Jiatong and student He Zongyi, together with Higher Diploma in Integrated Social and Health Services students Feng Jingxi and Luo Zhuolin, developed the digital life-story platform “同謠” and the mobile app “Eldventure” for older people.
Eight Additional Dialects Added to the App
The mobile app “Eldventure” has a built-in speech-to-text function that allows older people to record their life experiences through oral narration. Recognising that older people in Hong Kong speak different dialects, the development team added eight dialect options alongside Cantonese and Mandarin: Hangzhou, Yunnan, Southern Min, Hakka, Shanghainese, Tianjin, Henan and Taiwanese. Recognition accuracy can reach 90%.
The team visited elderly centres to test the app and collect stories, while also showing care for older people. The student team edits and organises the stories collected. So far, they have gathered around 20 stories from older people, with editing completed for 10. These stories will be used to build a “virtual human library” where young people can read and exchange ideas.
A Dialect Translator When Needed
Wei Jiatong, who was responsible for programming, said that seeing family members grow older in recent years had made her want to avoid regrets. This prompted her to develop the app to preserve memories and pass on culture. Members of the public can also use it as a dialect translator when they need help communicating. Ms Cheng, who tried the app, also felt it could be very useful when travelling.
Wei also said that many local cultural traditions and crafts were gradually disappearing. She hoped “同謠” could document them and pass them on to the next generation, adding that many older people's experiences offered valuable lessons. Her most memorable interview was with an older man who had once started a business. She learned tips for running a company from him, further encouraging her own dream of entrepreneurship.
Feng Jingxi, who was responsible for community visits, invited his 75-year-old paternal grandmother to try the app, strengthening their bond. Feng said the platform helped him learn about her past. He listened with great interest to her experiences of going out to sea to fish when she was young, as well as her love story with his grandfather. He added that the process could help older people practise their articulation and speaking skills while recalling the past.
Plans for an Educational Social Enterprise
“Eldventure” has won several technology awards in China and overseas, but is not yet available to download. The students involved in its development said they planned to establish a social enterprise after graduating in the middle of this year, then consider releasing “Eldventure”. They also planned to reach more older people and collect more stories, using real-life experiences to inspire the next generation and provide material for life education in primary and secondary schools.
200,000 People Speak Hometown Dialects
According to government statistics, at least 200,000 people in Hong Kong have a Chinese dialect as their mother tongue. Dialects commonly heard in Hong Kong include Hakka, Teochew and Taishanese. Wei Jiatong said a challenge in developing “Eldventure” was the lack of suitable application programming interfaces (APIs). If APIs for other dialects become available in the future, more dialects can be added to “Eldventure”.
Original article URL: https://bit.ly/2UTUb88