The University of Ghana (UG), Google Research Africa, and University College of London's (UCL) Global Disability Innovation Hub (GDI Hub) have collaborated on "t3kyer3ma pa" ("Good Tongue"), an AI-based initiative, to improve communication for individuals with non-standard speech patterns in Ghana.
The 't3kyer3ma pa' project also aims to address the gap faced by many individuals with non-standard speech due to conditions like cerebral palsy, ALS, stroke, down syndrome, or Parkinson disease.
Project 't3kyer3ma pa' supported with a $40,000 grant from Google and research expertise from UCL's GDI Hub provided through the AT2030 programme, which is as assistive technology.
At media briefing in Accra on Friday, Professor Isaac Wiafe, Project Lead, and an Associate Professor, UG, said the project, which was focused on improving AI-powered speech recognition technology for five major Ghanaian languages, was a significant step in making communication more inclusive for all.