- using Voice or Sign
Voice-Operated Smartphones Target Africa’s Illiterate
A woman chooses an African language on the ‘Superphone’ made by Cerco at their showroom in Abidjan on Aug. 25, 2022. Image by Agence France-Presse
People look at the ‘Superphone’ Cerco’s showroom in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, Aug. 25, 2022. Image by Agence France-Presse
A woman chooses an African language on the ‘Superphone’ made by Cerco at their showroom in Abidjan on Aug. 25, 2022. Image by Agence France-Presse
People look at the ‘Superphone’ Cerco’s showroom in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, Aug. 25, 2022. Image by Agence France-Presse
Description
A company called Cerco has created voice-operated smartphones as a viable option for people in Africa who may not be able to take advantage of traditional technologies due to illiteracy. The percentage of illiterate people in Africa in the Sub-Saharan Ivory coast is up to 40%. There are many different dialects which have not previously been targeted by developers. Cerco uses their own operating system called “Kone”, and covers 17 languages spoken in Ivory Coast, including Baoule, Bete, and Dioula, as well as 50 other African languages.These mobile devices are designed to be operated solely by voice and have the capability to perform tasks like sending text messages, making payments, and even interacting with customer service. The technology has gained traction thanks to its accessibility, affordability, and ease of use. It is hoped that it will open up the digital world to people in Africa who may otherwise be left behind. In addition there are other companies such as Mobobi investing in similar technology for other African languages. Mobobi has created a Twi language voice assistant, Abena AI, which is used in Ghana. Mozilla is creating a Kiswahili voice assistant which could potentially reach 100 million in East Africa.
Website(s)
Bibliography
Voice-Operated Smartphones Target Africa’s Illiterate. (n.d.). VOA. Retrieved February 1, 2023, from https://www.voanews.com/a/voice-operated-smartphones-target-africa-s-illiterate/6738092.html