VINTER VOICE CONTROLLED INTERPRETER

Abstract

Cross-cultural interaction is affected by the issues related to verbal communication due to very little or no understanding of each other’s spoken languages. Voice controlled interpreter (Vinter) is a voice controlled software system, which provides continuous real time speech recognition and languages (English, Urdu, Arabic etc) translation functionality so that two or more users can interact with each other using language of their own choice (with the device/machine acting as the interpreter).The software system can be implemented on Personal Computers (PCs)/Single board computers (SBCs) capable of running MS WINDOWS7. SBCs can be used for the processing due to its features of portability and optimization so that user would be able to use it almost anywhere e.g. airports, conferences, offices and universities on the move whereas PCs could be used for static applications like Classrooms, Airport Counters and Office meetings e.t.c. Mostly Microsoft based tools are used in the software implementation phase. Built-in LAN functionality of PC/SBC is being utilized to carry out two way communication. Vinter can also be used for a group conversation in which a user can speak to more than one user like in meetings, conferences. Translated text would be available on the display screen as well as in the headphones using TTS (Text to Speech) .In addition to that, the basic commands or functions of its operating system can be operated verbally using the Vinter’s additional software module. Vinter would help in removing the barriers created by different languages and would be a valuable product in the field of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI). It could contribute purposefully to the UN Millennium Development Goals “Achieve Universal Primary Education” and “Develop a Global Partnership for Development”.