Kids With Speech Problems Get Joke Generating Software

A joke generating software, designed to enable non-speaking children to develop their language and communication skills has just been unveiled by UK scientists. The software program helps children with speech disabilities use puns and jokes to overcome their problems and is currently being used in a 10-week trial at a school outside of Glasgow. The children have reportedly taken to the software, which come up with random jokes like “What do you call a strange rabbit? A funny bunny!” or even “What do you call a frog road? A main toad.” Children are required to choose a word or compound word, which will form some or all of the punch line, from the programme dictionary. The program then writes the joke’s opener by comparing the selected word with other words in its dictionary for phonetic similarity or concepts that link the words together, and then fits them into a pun template. Dr Waller, a researcher of the System to Augment Non-speakers Dialogue Using Puns (Standup) said that children who are unable to speak can suffer from communication setbacks because their computerized speech aids lacks scope for generating novel language. This joke telling software integrates the all important Language play and humor, which is believed to have a beneficial effect on a child’s developing language and communication skills. The researchers are currently in talks with manufacturers to see if the software can be integrated into computerized-speech aids for children.Read more here.