The UOC is planning to create an educational technology spin-off for children with language disorders

A number of studies have shown that fewer than one in four primary school pupils achieve an optimal reading level (Bravo et al., 2002). Furthermore, 23% of 15-year-olds perform poorly in reading comprehension tasks (INEE, 2019). These shortcomings have a significant social and economic impact and underscore the need for strategies and tools to improve these skills. The Cognition and Language Research Group (GRECIL) at the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) has launched Language4Kids, a spin-off dedicated to the development of educational solutions to help enhance children's oral and written language skills using disruptive technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), voice recognition and body movement. 

According to Llorenç Andreu, principal investigator at GRECIL and scientific manager of the spin-off, "this project will be the culmination of various research studies carried out by our group and will allow usto market scientific evidence-based intervention programs equipped with disruptive technologies". The company will be established with funding from the Catalan University and Research Grant Management Agency (AGAUR), which belongs to the Government of Catalonia and has endowed the project with €84,000 as part of the Innovadors grants. 

Improving reading skills with a video game

Language4Kids' first product, PICOFON, is a video game designed to improve phonological awareness, a critical skill for learning to read, among three- to seven-year-olds. "Phonological awareness is the ability to deal with the sound structures that make up words, such as syllables and individual sounds. Developing this skill is crucial for learning to read", said Andreu.

The game features artificial intelligence aids, such as voice and body movement recognition, as well as fun and narrative elements that enable children to practise their phonological skills, such as identifying and segmenting syllables and individual sounds, while having fun. The game tailors the difficulty of each new task to each child's level based on their individual progress. It also gives them rewards and immediate feedback to ensure they remain motivated. 

Although it is primarily aimed at children with reading difficulties, such as Developmental Language Disorder, dyslexia or dysgraphia, it can also help other students with their reading. 

"PICOFON stands out for its flexibility and customization options, which can be used by teachers and speech therapists to tailor activities based on the work being carried out by each child. We're also working on an adaptive AI model that uses learning data to tailor activities and provide a personalized experience and better outcomes. Playing the game improves both children's academic performance and their emotional well-being," said Luis Esteban Peñaherrera, who, as well as being an edtech project specialist, co-founder of the spin-off and technological manager of the project, is a PhD candidate studying neuroscience and language disorders and a member of GRECIL. 

The first version of the product has been designed for children learning in Catalan, and a Spanish version will follow in the next stage of the project. Over the next few months, the researchers will conduct a study to assess its effectiveness, and a mobile version featuring touchscreen technology will then be developed. 

A unique product due to its complex design and scope

The high number of words included in it (1,400) and its cutting-edge technologies and features make PICOFON, the video game developed by the UOC, unique among existing phonological awareness educational games. "Its complexity is unmatched in the market", said Andreu. "Its technological advancement, featuring a voice recognition system that enables it to identify the words spoken by the child, is also very innovative," he said.

The team behind Language4Kids believe that the game will be widely adopted to support reading in schools and by professionals such as education specialists, speech therapists and neuropsychologists, as there is currently a notable gap in this area in both Catalonia and Spain, as well as in Latin America. "Current efforts to improve phonological awareness lack structure and thoroughness, so we believe that PICOFON will have a very positive impact on reading development for many children," said the researcher. 

As for its possible applications, in the future it could also be adapted for other types of users with language difficulties, such as those suffering from aphasia following a stroke or people with other language disorders, although new studies to assess its effectiveness would be required. Peñaherrera explained that "the technologies used in the game, such as voice recognition and adaptive learning, would open the door to developing specific activities for language rehabilitation in adults, paving the way for the possibility of new therapeutic uses." 

Due to its great potential, the team is also considering adapting the game to other languages, such as English and Mandarin, as well as the possibility of new projects to support other language skills, such as morphological awareness and vocabulary. 

This research supports UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4, Quality Education.

UOC R&I

The UOC's research and innovation (R&I) is helping overcome pressing challenges faced by global societies in the 21st century by studying interactions between technology and human & social sciences with a specific focus on the network society, e-learning and e-health.

Over 500 researchers and more than 50 research groups work in the UOC's seven faculties, its eLearning Research programme and its two research centres: the Internet Interdisciplinary Institute (IN3) and the eHealth Center (eHC).

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