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Interactive Language Training

Computer language training for babies using facial recognition
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I got a web camera and in the webcam was facial recognition software that could take my expressions and place it on a cartoon shark/Einstein/others.

I have a 5 month old and she loves to look at us and mimic our movements as best she can.

My idea is to design a computer program that would do the basic stuff that videos do now, read stories and play music, but have the words come from a realistic looking face, maybe mine or the face of a small child.

When she decides she'd like to be vocal, I'd like the computer to pause and mimic back her facial expressions with her sounds, and then a similar sounding word, possibly followed by an explanitory picture.

The idea is to have a positive reinforcement and feedback that could speed language learning.

MisterQED, Nov 26 2007

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       Nifty thought. I'm curious, if we speed language learning, are we limiting the range of linguistic flexibility that a child may have? Language development is, after all, partly a process of shunning of 'nonsense sounds' which mean very little to that particular language but may be important to another.
RayfordSteele, Nov 28 2007
  

       Possibly, but couldn't that be corrected by teaching two different languages at once? Say English and Chinese which would be a good combo these days. They just had a study that said the baby Einstein videos actually lead to a more limited vocabulary, which I think is because parents rely on them too much and kid loose diversity in language use. So I thought a computer could be set to expand vocabulary and use facial recognition to judge interest and provide positive feedback by mimicry. So at it's most basic, try something new and if the child looks away and doesn't look back, go back to a earlier program. A more advanced version could judge a childs mood based on facial expresson and compile data to gear future lessons to a child's interest.
MisterQED, Dec 05 2007
  

       One thing I like about this idea is the opportunity to teach with more positive reinforcement   

       You could find out what proven awesome parents did, then build on their behaviors
beanangel, Dec 05 2007
  
      
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