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Lingo Pal Children’s Language Translator. David Sunderland Daniel Binuya. Basic Concept. Interactive language toy, ages 3-8 Tag objects around the house or classroom Provides pronunciation and spelling Fun, colorful, and easy to use Better than television! Can be used without supervision
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Lingo PalChildren’s Language Translator David Sunderland Daniel Binuya
Basic Concept • Interactive language toy, ages 3-8 • Tag objects around the house or classroom • Provides pronunciation and spelling • Fun, colorful, and easy to use • Better than television! • Can be used without supervision • Supports bilingual learning • May be personalized, involving parents in activity
Basic Scenario • Self-contained language kits • Parent buys reader and language kit • Each kit includes preset tags, mapped to particular words • Also included is a language cartridge or card with those words • Parent applies tags to objects around house • Child learns to use reader, which has only two buttons • Read button: reads the nearest tag and plays the word • Power button • Parent may change the tag mappings and audio clips • Reader has WiFi interface for updating mappings • Software combines reader and home computer intuitively • Online database allows access to new words, languages
Components • Handheld Platform • iPAQ 5500 for testing – overkill in the final product • Integrated WiFi and expandable memory (for ROMs) • Bright video display, clear audio output, one button • RFID reader • Coupled via serial interface to handheld • Short-range: 3-10 cm • Administration Software • For remapping tags, updating language data • Web Database (not in scope of project) • Some databases already in existence
Component Overview (Resources) • Handheld reads language data from ROMs, caches data • Global language database duplicates information on ROMs • Application running on home computer acts as local server • Interface for administration, customization
Work To Do • Minimum System: • RFID reader • Setting up serial interface, reader board I iPAQ • Getting power to reader board • Basic tag I word mapping • Audio output & simple display • Final Product: • Simple vector animations • Automatic downloads via WiFi • Custom word mappings and audio playback • Powering reader board from iPAQ
Related Work • Based on design by Jean Lee, UW Industrial Design • Related work: Roma Reader (2001) • Barbara Mack, Michelle Hlubinka, Harvard; Benjamin Vigoda, MIT • Work jointly with the Open Society Institute • RFID reader system for bilingual education of Roma children in the Czech Republic • Tags placed in flash cards, reader in a small table • Lingo Pal is first to target more general audience • Handheld platform could make language ed. ubiquitous • Graphic display incorporates reading/writing skills
Current Issues • Need C functions for interfacing with RFID reader • iPAQ doesn’t have serial port • Interface with Compact Flash serial port • Figure out drivers • Currently using UNIX ‘play’ for audio—is there a better way? • Trying to figure out why wireless doesn’t work
Evaluation • Robustness • Doesn’t crash on multiple button presses • Behaves reasonably in presence of multiple tags • Transfers data reliably and transparently • Makes customization intuitive and reliable • Affordability • User studies • Are reader and software easy to use? • Is the product engaging and fun? • Does it integrate well into the classroom (bilingual or else)? • Is there a measurable improvement in language ability?