ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Ajit Narayanan - Visual grammar engine inventor
Ajit Narayanan is the inventor of Avaz, an affordable, tablet-based communication device for people who are speech-impaired.

Why you should listen

Ajit Narayanan is the founder and CEO of Invention Labs, and the inventor of Avaz AAC, the first assistive device aimed at an Indian market that helps people with speech disabilities -- such as cerebral palsy, autism, intellectual disability, aphasia and learning disabilities -- to communicate. Avaz is also available as an iPad app, aimed at children with autism. In 2010, Avaz won the National Award for Empowerment of People with Disabilities from the president of India, and in 2011, Narayanan was listed in MIT Technology Review 35 under 35.
 
Narayanan is a prolific inventor with more than 20 patent applications. He is an electrical engineer with degrees from IIT Madras. His research interests are embedded systems, signal processing and understanding how the brain perceives language and communication.

More profile about the speaker
Ajit Narayanan | Speaker | TED.com
TED2013

Ajit Narayanan: A word game to communicate in any language

阿吉特.納拉亞南 (Ajit Narayanan): 能用任何語言溝通的文字遊戲

Filmed:
1,391,245 views

阿吉特.納拉亞南 (Ajit Narayanan) 服務有語言困難的孩子時,構思出以圖片來思考語言,在「地圖」中連結文字和概念。現在,這個概念演變成一個應用程式,幫助無口說能力的人溝通,而背後的重要點子,一種語言概念「輕鬆講」 (FreeSpeech) 也潛力無窮。
- Visual grammar engine inventor
Ajit Narayanan is the inventor of Avaz, an affordable, tablet-based communication device for people who are speech-impaired. Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

00:12
I work with children孩子 with autism自閉症.
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我服務有自閉症的孩子。
00:15
Specifically特別, I make technologies技術
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更確切來說,我發明科技
00:17
to help them communicate通信.
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幫助他們溝通。
00:19
Now, many許多 of the problems問題 that children孩子
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許多自閉症孩童面臨的問題
00:21
with autism自閉症 face面對, they have a common共同 source資源,
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出自於同樣的因素,
00:24
and that source資源 is that they find it difficult
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那就是他們很難
00:26
to understand理解 abstraction抽象化, symbolism象徵.
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了解抽象概念與象徵性的符號。
00:32
And because of this, they have
a lot of difficulty困難 with language語言.
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因此,他們在面對語言時
會有很大的困難。
00:36
Let me tell you a little bit about why this is.
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讓我告訴你一些原因。
00:39
You see that this is a picture圖片 of a bowl of soup.
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你可以看到這張圖片是一碗湯。
00:43
All of us can see it. All of us understand理解 this.
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我們每個人都看得見,也都了解這是什麼。
00:46
These are two other pictures圖片 of soup,
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這是另外兩張湯的圖片,
00:48
but you can see that these are more abstract抽象
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但是你會發現它們比較抽象,
00:50
These are not quite相當 as concrete具體.
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不太具體。
00:52
And when you get to language語言,
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當你使用語言時,
00:54
you see that it becomes a word
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會發現那個字詞
00:56
whose誰的 look, the way it looks容貌 and the way it sounds聲音,
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看起來、聽起來
00:59
has absolutely絕對 nothing to do
with what it started開始 with,
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和它以什麼開頭
01:02
or what it represents代表, which哪一個 is the bowl of soup.
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或是和它代表的意義「那碗湯」完全無關。
01:05
So it's essentially實質上 a completely全然 abstract抽象,
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因此,基本上那是一個完全抽象、
01:08
a completely全然 arbitrary隨意 representation表示 of something
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存在真實世界中某種事物的
01:10
which哪一個 is in the real真實 world世界,
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一種任意的表述,
01:12
and this is something that children孩子 with autism自閉症
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自閉症的孩子在這方面
01:13
have an incredible難以置信 amount of difficulty困難 with.
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有很大的困難。
01:17
Now that's why most of the people
that work with children孩子 with autism自閉症 --
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那就是為什麼許多
協助自閉症孩童的人們
01:19
speech言語 therapists治療師, educators教育工作者 --
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——語言治療師、教育人士——
01:21
what they do is, they try to help children孩子 with autism自閉症
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他們協助自閉症孩童
01:24
communicate通信 not with words, but with pictures圖片.
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不是用文字溝通,而是用圖片溝通。
01:27
So if a child兒童 with autism自閉症 wanted to say,
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因此如果有個自閉症孩童想說:「我想喝湯。」
01:29
"I want soup," that child兒童 would pick
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這孩子會拿起
01:31
three different不同 pictures圖片, "I," "want," and "soup,"
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三張不同的圖片「我」、「想喝」、「湯」,
01:34
and they would put these together一起,
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然後把圖排在一起,
01:35
and then the therapist治療師 or the parent would
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那麼治療師或家長就能理解
01:37
understand理解 that this is what the kid孩子 wants to say.
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這是孩子想說的話。
01:39
And this has been incredibly令人難以置信 effective有效;
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三四十年來
01:41
for the last 30, 40 years年份
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這方法一直都很有效,
01:43
people have been doing this.
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大家都這麼做。
01:45
In fact事實, a few少數 years年份 back,
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事實上,幾年前
01:46
I developed發達 an app應用 for the iPadiPad的
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我開發了一個 iPad 的應用程式,
01:49
which哪一個 does exactly究竟 this. It's called AvazAvaz,
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名為「阿維思」(Avaz),就是採用此法。
01:51
and the way it works作品 is that kids孩子 select選擇
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操作方式是讓孩子選擇
01:53
different不同 pictures圖片.
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不同的圖片,
01:55
These pictures圖片 are sequenced測序
together一起 to form形成 sentences句子,
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將圖片排列成句子,
01:57
and these sentences句子 are spoken out.
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然後這些句子會被唸出。
01:59
So AvazAvaz is essentially實質上 converting轉換 pictures圖片,
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因此基本上「阿維思」會轉換圖片,
02:02
it's a translator翻譯者, it converts轉換 pictures圖片 into speech言語.
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它是翻譯機,能將圖片轉換成言語。
02:06
Now, this was very effective有效.
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這很有用。
02:07
There are thousands數千 of children孩子 using運用 this,
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有成千上萬的孩子使用它,
02:09
you know, all over the world世界,
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遍及全世界,
02:10
and I started開始 thinking思維 about
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於是我開始思考
02:12
what it does and what it doesn't do.
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它做了什麼,又漏了什麼。
02:15
And I realized實現 something interesting有趣:
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我發現某件很有趣的事:
02:17
AvazAvaz helps幫助 children孩子 with autism自閉症 learn學習 words.
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「阿維思」協助有自閉症的孩子學習文字。
但沒有教他們
02:21
What it doesn't help them do is to learn學習
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02:23
word patterns模式.
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文字模式。
02:26
Let me explain說明 this in a little more detail詳情.
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讓我說明一些細節。
02:29
Take this sentence句子: "I want soup tonight今晚."
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以此句為例:「我今晚想喝湯。」
02:32
Now it's not just the words
here that convey傳達 the meaning含義.
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這不只是文字傳達了意義,
02:36
It's also the way in which哪一個 these words are arranged安排,
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這些文字排列的方式、
02:39
the way these words are modified改性 and arranged安排.
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這些文字修飾與排列的方式也有意義。
02:41
And that's why a sentence句子 like "I want soup tonight今晚"
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那就是為什麼像是「我今晚想喝湯」這句話
02:44
is different不同 from a sentence句子 like
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會完全不同於
02:46
"Soup want I tonight今晚," which哪一個
is completely全然 meaningless無意義的.
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「湯想喝我今晚」這樣無意義的句子。
02:49
So there is another另一個 hidden abstraction抽象化 here
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這裡有另一種隱藏的抽象概念,
02:52
which哪一個 children孩子 with autism自閉症 find
a lot of difficulty困難 coping應對 with,
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讓自閉症孩童難以處理,
02:55
and that's the fact事實 that you can modify修改 words
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那就是你能透過修飾文字、
02:58
and you can arrange安排 them to have
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排列文字,
03:00
different不同 meanings含義, to convey傳達 different不同 ideas思路.
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讓它有不同的意義,傳達不同的想法。
03:03
Now, this is what we call grammar語法.
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我們稱之為文法。
03:07
And grammar語法 is incredibly令人難以置信 powerful強大,
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而文法的力量十分強大,
03:09
because grammar語法 is this one component零件 of language語言
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因為文法是語言的其中一項要素,
03:12
which哪一個 takes this finite有限 vocabulary詞彙 that all of us have
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讓我們使用所擁有的有限字彙
03:15
and allows允許 us to convey傳達 an
infinite無窮 amount of information信息,
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傳達無限種資訊、
03:20
an infinite無窮 amount of ideas思路.
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無限種想法。
03:22
It's the way in which哪一個 you can put things together一起
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這種方式能讓你把東西組合在一起
03:24
in order訂購 to convey傳達 anything you want to.
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來傳達所有你想表達的事。
03:26
And so after I developed發達 AvazAvaz,
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因此在我開發「阿維思」之後,
03:28
I worried擔心 for a very long time
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有件事讓我擔心很久,
03:30
about how I could give grammar語法
to children孩子 with autism自閉症.
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那就是我要怎麼教自閉症孩童文法。
03:34
The solution came來了 to me from
a very interesting有趣 perspective透視.
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解決方式來自一種非常有趣的觀點。
03:36
I happened發生 to chance機會 upon a child兒童 with autism自閉症
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我巧遇自閉症的孩童
03:39
conversing交談 with her mom媽媽,
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和她的母親對話,
03:41
and this is what happened發生.
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事情就這樣發生了。
03:44
Completely全然 out of the blue藍色, very spontaneously自發,
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事發非常突然、不期而遇,
03:46
the child兒童 got up and said, "Eat."
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那孩子站起來說:「吃。」
03:48
Now what was interesting有趣 was
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有趣的是
03:50
the way in which哪一個 the mom媽媽 was trying to tease out
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那位媽媽誘導小孩的方式,
03:54
the meaning含義 of what the child兒童 wanted to say
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她讓小孩透過回答她的問題
03:56
by talking to her in questions問題.
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表達出想說的話。
03:59
So she asked, "Eat what? Do
you want to eat ice cream奶油?
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因此她問:「吃什麼?」
「你想吃冰淇淋?」
04:01
You want to eat? Somebody else其他 wants to eat?
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「你想吃?」
「其他人想吃?」
04:03
You want to eat cream奶油 now? You
want to eat ice cream奶油 in the evening晚間?"
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「你想現在吃冰淇淋?」
「你想晚上吃冰淇淋?」
04:07
And then it struck來襲 me that
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我突然意識到
04:08
what the mother母親 had doneDONE was something incredible難以置信.
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那位母親做了一件非常棒的事。
04:10
She had been able能夠 to get that child兒童 to communicate通信
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她已經能讓那個孩子
04:12
an idea理念 to her without grammar語法.
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不用文法就能傳達想法。
04:16
And it struck來襲 me that maybe this is what
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我突然想到也許這就是
04:19
I was looking for.
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我在找的方式。
04:20
Instead代替 of arranging整理 words in an order訂購, in sequence序列,
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與其透過按照規則、順序
將文字排列成句子,
04:25
as a sentence句子, you arrange安排 them
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不如將文字排列在這張圖中,
04:27
in this map地圖, where they're all linked關聯 together一起
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文字連結在一起的方式
04:31
not by placing配售 them one after the other
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不是透過將它們一個接一個排列,
而是透過問題,多組問答題。
04:33
but in questions問題, in question-answer問答 pairs.
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04:36
And so if you do this, then what you're conveying輸送
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因此如果你這麼做,那你傳達的
04:38
is not a sentence句子 in English英語,
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不是一個英文句子,
04:40
but what you're conveying輸送 is really a meaning含義,
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你傳達的是一個意義,
04:43
the meaning含義 of a sentence句子 in English英語.
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一個英文句子的意義。
04:45
Now, meaning含義 is really the underbelly軟肋,
in some sense, of language語言.
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從某個層面來說,
意義在語言中屬於較深層的部分。
04:48
It's what comes after thought but before language語言.
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意義出現在想法之後,但是在語言之前。
04:52
And the idea理念 was that this particular特定 representation表示
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而此想法是這種特殊的表述
04:54
might威力 convey傳達 meaning含義 in its raw生的 form形成.
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可能是用它的根本樣貌來傳達意義。
04:57
So I was very excited興奮 by this, you know,
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這件事讓我很興奮,
04:59
hopping躍遷 around all over the place地點,
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開心得手舞足蹈,
05:01
trying to figure數字 out if I can convert兌換
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試著確認我是否能
05:02
all possible可能 sentences句子 that I hear into this.
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將所有聽見的詞句轉換成這樣。
05:05
And I found發現 that this is not enough足夠.
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我發現這還不夠。
05:07
Why is this not enough足夠?
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為什麼不夠呢?
05:08
This is not enough足夠 because if you wanted to convey傳達
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不夠是因為如果你想要傳達
05:10
something like negation否定,
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否定的句子,
05:12
you want to say, "I don't want soup,"
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比如說:「我不想喝湯。」
05:14
then you can't do that by asking a question.
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那麼你就不能用問句完成。
05:16
You do that by changing改變 the word "want."
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你會改變「想」這個字。
05:18
Again, if you wanted to say,
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同樣地,如果你想說:
05:20
"I wanted soup yesterday昨天,"
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「我昨天本來 想喝湯。」
05:22
you do that by converting轉換
the word "want" into "wanted."
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你把「想」轉換成「本來想」。
05:25
It's a past過去 tense緊張.
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那是過去式。
05:26
So this is a flourish繁榮 which哪一個 I added添加
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因此我加了這個功能
05:28
to make the system系統 complete完成.
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讓系統更完善。
05:30
This is a map地圖 of words joined加盟 together一起
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這是許多單字的連結圖,
05:32
as questions問題 and answers答案,
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以問句和答案組合而成,
05:34
and with these filters過濾器 applied應用的 on top最佳 of them
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有了這些篩選功能在上面,
05:36
in order訂購 to modify修改 them to represent代表
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就能做修改,呈現出
05:38
certain某些 nuances細微之處.
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較細微的差異。
05:39
Let me show顯示 you this with a different不同 example.
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讓我舉個不同的例子來說明。
05:41
Let's take this sentence句子:
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以這個句子來說:
05:43
"I told the carpenter木匠 I could not pay工資 him."
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「我告訴了木工我不能付錢。」
05:45
It's a fairly相當 complicated複雜 sentence句子.
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這是個蠻複雜的句子。
05:46
The way that this particular特定 system系統 works作品,
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這個特殊系統運作的方式是
05:48
you can start開始 with any part部分 of this sentence句子.
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你可以從句子的任何一處開始。
05:51
I'm going to start開始 with the word "tell."
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我用「告訴」開頭來做說明。
05:53
So this is the word "tell."
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這個字是「告訴」,
05:54
Now this happened發生 in the past過去,
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但這是以前發生的事,
05:56
so I'm going to make that "told."
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所以我要說「告訴了」。
05:58
Now, what I'm going to do is,
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現在我想做的是,
06:00
I'm going to ask questions問題.
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我開始問問題。
06:01
So, who told? I told.
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是誰「告訴」?
是我。
06:04
I told whom? I told the carpenter木匠.
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我告訴了誰?
我告訴了木工。
06:06
Now we start開始 with a different不同 part部分 of the sentence句子.
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現在我們從句子的另一處開始,
06:07
We start開始 with the word "pay工資,"
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以「付錢」開始,
06:09
and we add the ability能力 filter過濾 to it to make it "can pay工資."
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我們加上使役動詞,讓它變成「能付錢」,
06:14
Then we make it "can't pay工資,"
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接著我們就能改成「不能付錢」,
06:16
and we can make it "couldn't不能 pay工資"
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接著就能更改時態,
06:18
by making製造 it the past過去 tense緊張.
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將它改為過去式。
06:19
So who couldn't不能 pay工資? I couldn't不能 pay工資.
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那是誰不能付錢?
我不能付錢。
06:21
Couldn't不能 pay工資 whom? I couldn't不能 pay工資 the carpenter木匠.
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不能付錢給誰?
我不能付錢給木工。
06:24
And then you join加入 these two together一起
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接著你透過問這個問題
06:25
by asking this question:
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把這兩個部分連在一起:
06:27
What did I tell the carpenter木匠?
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我告訴了木工什麼?
06:29
I told the carpenter木匠 I could not pay工資 him.
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我告訴了木工我不能付錢。
06:33
Now think about this. This is
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想想看這個問題,
06:35
—(Applause掌聲)—
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(掌聲)
06:38
this is a representation表示 of this sentence句子
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這是這個句子要表達的內容,
06:42
without language語言.
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沒有語言。
06:44
And there are two or three
interesting有趣 things about this.
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這裡有兩到三件有趣的事。
06:46
First of all, I could have started開始 anywhere隨地.
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首先,我能從任何一個單字開始,
06:50
I didn't have to start開始 with the word "tell."
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我不一定要從「告訴」開始。
06:52
I could have started開始 anywhere隨地 in the sentence句子,
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我能從句子的任何一部分開始,
06:53
and I could have made製作 this entire整個 thing.
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還是能完成整件事。
06:55
The second第二 thing is, if I wasn't an English英語 speaker揚聲器,
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第二點是,如果我不是說英語的人,
06:57
if I was speaking請講 in some other language語言,
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如果我說的是別的語言,
07:00
this map地圖 would actually其實 hold保持 true真正 in any language語言.
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這個地圖真的在任何語言都管用。
07:03
So long as the questions問題 are standardized標準化,
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只要這個問題符合標準,
07:05
the map地圖 is actually其實 independent獨立 of language語言.
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這個地圖就能獨立於語言使用。
07:09
So I call this FreeSpeechFreeSpeech,
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因此我稱它為「輕鬆講」 (FreeSpeech),
07:11
and I was playing播放 with this for many許多, many許多 months個月.
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我已經玩了好幾個月,
07:14
I was trying out so many許多
different不同 combinations組合 of this.
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並試著使用許多不同的組合。
07:17
And then I noticed注意到 something very
interesting有趣 about FreeSpeechFreeSpeech.
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後來,我注意到「輕鬆講」有個有趣的部分。
07:19
I was trying to convert兌換 language語言,
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我試著轉換語言,
07:22
convert兌換 sentences句子 in English英語
into sentences句子 in FreeSpeechFreeSpeech,
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轉換英語句子和「輕鬆講」的句子,
07:25
and vice versa反之亦然, and back and forth向前.
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來回反覆不斷嘗試。
07:27
And I realized實現 that this particular特定 configuration組態,
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我理解這種特殊的結構,
07:29
this particular特定 way of representing代表 language語言,
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這種表現語言的特殊方式
07:31
it allowed允許 me to actually其實 create創建 very concise簡潔 rules規則
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讓我能夠真正地建立很簡要的規則,
07:35
that go between之間 FreeSpeechFreeSpeech on one side
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在「輕鬆講」
07:38
and English英語 on the other.
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以及英語之間的規則。
07:39
So I could actually其實 write this set of rules規則
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我確實能寫下這組規則,
07:42
that translates轉換 from this particular特定
representation表示 into English英語.
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讓這個特殊的表述轉換成英語。
07:45
And so I developed發達 this thing.
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因此我發明了這項產品,
07:47
I developed發達 this thing called
the FreeSpeechFreeSpeech Engine發動機
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稱為「輕鬆講引擎」,
07:49
which哪一個 takes any FreeSpeechFreeSpeech sentence句子 as the input輸入
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能把任何「輕鬆講」的句子輸入,
07:52
and gives out perfectly完美 grammatical語法的 English英語 text文本.
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然後產出有完美文法的英語。
07:56
And by putting these two pieces together一起,
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透過組合
07:57
the representation表示 and the engine發動機,
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表述與引擎,
07:59
I was able能夠 to create創建 an app應用, a
technology技術 for children孩子 with autism自閉症,
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我就能建立一個應用程式,
一個供自閉症孩童用的科技,
08:03
that not only gives them words
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不只是提供他們文字,
08:05
but also gives them grammar語法.
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也提供他們文法。
08:09
So I tried試著 this out with kids孩子 with autism自閉症,
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我在自閉症孩童身上測試,
08:12
and I found發現 that there was an
incredible難以置信 amount of identification鑑定.
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發現了很驚人的成效。
08:17
They were able能夠 to create創建 sentences句子 in FreeSpeechFreeSpeech
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他們用「輕鬆講」建立的句子
08:19
which哪一個 were much more complicated複雜
but much more effective有效
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複雜程度和效用都遠高於
08:22
than equivalent當量 sentences句子 in English英語,
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用英語講同一句話,
08:25
and I started開始 thinking思維 about
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我開始思考
08:27
why that might威力 be the case案件.
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為什麼會成功。
08:28
And I had an idea理念, and I want to
talk to you about this idea理念 next下一個.
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因此,接下來我想與大家分享一個想法。
08:33
In about 1997, about 15 years年份 back,
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大約在 1997 年時,大約 15 年前,
08:36
there were a group of scientists科學家們 that were trying
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有一群科學家嘗試
08:38
to understand理解 how the brain processes流程 language語言,
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理解大腦處理語言的方式,
08:40
and they found發現 something very interesting有趣.
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他們發現一件很有趣的事情。
08:42
They found發現 that when you learn學習 a language語言
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就是當你學習一種語言,
08:44
as a child兒童, as a two-year-old二十歲,
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身為一個兩歲小孩,
08:47
you learn學習 it with a certain某些 part部分 of your brain,
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你用大腦的特定部位在學習;
而當你身為一名成人
08:49
and when you learn學習 a language語言 as an adult成人 --
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1600
08:51
for example, if I wanted to
learn學習 Japanese日本 right now —
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──舉例來說,如果我現在想學日語──
08:55
a completely全然 different不同 part部分 of my brain is used.
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就會運用完全不同部位的大腦。
08:57
Now I don't know why that's the case案件,
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我不了解為什麼會這樣,
08:59
but my guess猜測 is that that's because
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但我猜是因為
09:01
when you learn學習 a language語言 as an adult成人,
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成年時學習語言
09:04
you almost幾乎 invariably不變地 learn學習 it
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幾乎無可避免會
09:05
through通過 your native本地人 language語言, or
through通過 your first language語言.
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透過你的母語、習慣語言來學習。
09:10
So what's interesting有趣 about FreeSpeechFreeSpeech
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「輕鬆講」有趣的是
09:13
is that when you create創建 a sentence句子
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當你建立一個句子,
09:15
or when you create創建 language語言,
221
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或是建立一種語言,
09:16
a child兒童 with autism自閉症 creates創建
language語言 with FreeSpeechFreeSpeech,
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自閉症孩童用「輕鬆講」建立語言,
09:19
they're not using運用 this support支持 language語言,
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他們不是用它來支援語言,
09:21
they're not using運用 this bridge language語言.
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他們不是用它來連結語言,
09:23
They're directly constructing建設 the sentence句子.
225
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他們是直接建立句子。
09:26
And so this gave me this idea理念.
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這讓我有個想法。
09:28
Is it possible可能 to use FreeSpeechFreeSpeech
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有可能讓「輕鬆講」
教自閉症孩童語言之外,
09:30
not for children孩子 with autism自閉症
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09:33
but to teach language語言 to people without disabilities殘疾人?
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也教非身障的孩童嗎?
09:39
And so I tried試著 a number of experiments實驗.
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因此我嘗試許多實驗。
09:41
The first thing I did was I built內置 a jigsaw拼圖 puzzle難題
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首先我設計了一個拼圖,
09:44
in which哪一個 these questions問題 and answers答案
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1970
這些問題和答案
09:46
are coded編碼 in the form形成 of shapes形狀,
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都編碼成各種形狀,
09:48
in the form形成 of colors顏色,
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各種顏色,
09:49
and you have people putting these together一起
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操作人把這些放在一起,
09:51
and trying to understand理解 how this works作品.
236
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試著了解這是如何運作。
09:53
And I built內置 an app應用 out of it, a game遊戲 out of it,
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我設計了一個應用程式,以此為基礎的遊戲,
09:55
in which哪一個 children孩子 can play with words
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孩童可以玩文字遊戲,
09:58
and with a reinforcement加強,
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1704
並且有強化的功能,
09:59
a sound聲音 reinforcement加強 of visual視覺 structures結構,
240
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以聽覺強化視覺,
10:02
they're able能夠 to learn學習 language語言.
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他們就能學習語言。
10:04
And this, this has a lot of potential潛在, a lot of promise諾言,
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2736
這有很大的潛力和前景,
10:07
and the government政府 of India印度 recently最近
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1975
而最近印度政府
10:09
licensed領有牌照 this technology技術 from us,
244
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向我們取得這項科技的授權,
10:10
and they're going to try it out
with millions百萬 of different不同 children孩子
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他們打算讓上百萬名孩童嘗試,
10:12
trying to teach them English英語.
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試著教他們英語。
10:15
And the dream夢想, the hope希望, the vision視力, really,
247
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而這個夢想、希望、願景
10:17
is that when they learn學習 English英語 this way,
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即是當他們以此學習英語,
10:20
they learn學習 it with the same相同 proficiency精通
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他們能夠表達流利,
10:23
as their mother母親 tongue.
250
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就像母語一樣。
10:27
All right, let's talk about something else其他.
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接下來,我們來討論另一點。
10:31
Let's talk about speech言語.
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談談說話。
10:33
This is speech言語.
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這是說話。
10:34
So speech言語 is the primary mode模式 of communication通訊
254
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因此說話是溝通的基礎,
10:36
delivered交付 between之間 all of us.
255
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在我們之間傳遞訊息。
10:37
Now what's interesting有趣 about speech言語 is that
256
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1855
關於說話,有趣的是
10:39
speech言語 is one-dimensional一維.
257
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說話是單面的。
10:41
Why is it one-dimensional一維?
258
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為什麼是單面的?
10:42
It's one-dimensional一維 because it's sound聲音.
259
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因為說話是聲音,所以它是單面的。
10:43
It's also one-dimensional一維 because
260
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也因為
10:45
our mouths嘴巴 are built內置 that way.
261
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1205
那是嘴巴的功能。
10:46
Our mouths嘴巴 are built內置 to create創建
one-dimensional一維 sound聲音.
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嘴巴的功能即是創造單面的聲音。
10:50
But if you think about the brain,
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但是如果你想想大腦,
10:53
the thoughts思念 that we have in our heads
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在我們頭腦裡的思想
10:54
are not one-dimensional一維.
265
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並非一面向的。
10:56
I mean, we have these rich豐富,
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我的意思是,我們有這些豐富、
10:58
complicated複雜, multi-dimensional多維 ideas思路.
267
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複雜和多面向的想法。
11:01
Now, it seems似乎 to me that language語言
268
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對我來說,語言
11:03
is really the brain's大腦的 invention發明
269
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就是大腦的發明,
11:05
to convert兌換 this rich豐富, multi-dimensional多維 thought
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一方面轉換這豐富、
11:08
on one hand
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多面向的思想,
11:10
into speech言語 on the other hand.
272
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另一方面轉換成話語。
11:12
Now what's interesting有趣 is that
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有趣的是
11:13
we do a lot of work in information信息 nowadays如今,
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現在我們以資訊做許多事,
11:16
and almost幾乎 all of that is doneDONE
in the language語言 domain.
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幾乎所有的事情都是在語言的領域中完成。
11:19
Take Google谷歌, for example.
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以 Google 為例,
11:21
Google谷歌 trawls拖網 all these
countless無數 billions數十億 of websites網站,
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Google 網羅千百萬個網站,
11:24
all of which哪一個 are in English英語,
and when you want to use Google谷歌,
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2725
全都是英語網站,
而當你想要用 Google,
11:26
you go into Google谷歌 search搜索, and you type類型 in English英語,
279
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進入 Google 搜尋功能列,輸入英語,
11:29
and it matches火柴 the English英語 with the English英語.
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會出現符合你要的英語。
11:33
What if we could do this in FreeSpeechFreeSpeech instead代替?
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有沒有可能我們改用「輕鬆講」這樣做呢?
11:37
I have a suspicion懷疑 that if we did this,
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我推測如果我們這麼做,
11:39
we'd星期三 find that algorithms算法 like searching搜索,
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我們會發現一些規則系統,像是搜尋、
11:41
like retrieval恢復, all of these things,
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2325
像是擷取,所有的這些功能
11:43
are much simpler簡單 and also more effective有效,
285
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都更簡單也更有效,
11:46
because they don't process處理
the data數據 structure結構體 of speech言語.
286
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4417
因為他們不是處理說話的資料結構。
11:51
Instead代替 they're processing處理
the data數據 structure結構體 of thought.
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相反地,他們處理思想的資料結構。
11:57
The data數據 structure結構體 of thought.
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思想的資料結構。
11:59
That's a provocative挑釁 idea理念.
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那是個令人興奮的概念。
12:02
But let's look at this in a little more detail詳情.
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讓我們多深入看一點細節。
12:04
So this is the FreeSpeechFreeSpeech ecosystem生態系統.
291
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這是「輕鬆講」的生態系統。
12:06
We have the Free自由 Speech言語
representation表示 on one side,
292
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2884
我們一邊有「輕鬆講」的畫面,
12:09
and we have the FreeSpeechFreeSpeech
Engine發動機, which哪一個 generates生成 English英語.
293
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另一邊也有「輕鬆講」的引擎產生英語。
12:11
Now if you think about it,
294
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請想像
12:13
FreeSpeechFreeSpeech, I told you, is completely全然
language-independent語言無關.
295
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2544
「輕鬆講」是完全獨立的語言。
12:15
It doesn't have any specific具體 information信息 in it
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裡面沒有任何關於英語的
12:18
which哪一個 is about English英語.
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特定資訊。
12:19
So everything that this system系統 knows知道 about English英語
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因此對這個系統來說,
英語都已在引擎中編碼。
12:22
is actually其實 encoded編碼 into the engine發動機.
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12:26
That's a pretty漂亮 interesting有趣 concept概念 in itself本身.
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這之中有個很有趣的概念。
12:28
You've encoded編碼 an entire整個 human人的 language語言
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你已經將所有的人類語言編碼入
12:32
into a software軟件 program程序.
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一套軟體中。
12:35
But if you look at what's inside the engine發動機,
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但是如果你看這個引擎的內部,
12:37
it's actually其實 not very complicated複雜.
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會發現其實不複雜,
12:40
It's not very complicated複雜 code.
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不是很複雜的編碼。
12:42
And what's more interesting有趣 is the fact事實 that
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更有趣的是,
12:44
the vast廣大 majority多數 of the code in that engine發動機
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在那個引擎中大多數的編碼
12:47
is not really English-specific英語專用.
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其實都不是只針對英語。
12:49
And that gives this interesting有趣 idea理念.
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因此有了這個有趣的想法,
12:51
It might威力 be very easy簡單 for us to actually其實
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我們也許可以因此輕易地
12:53
create創建 these engines引擎 in many許多,
many許多 different不同 languages語言,
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建立很多很多不同語言的引擎,
12:57
in Hindi印地語, in French法國, in German德語, in Swahili斯瓦希裡.
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印度語、法語、德語、斯瓦希里語。
(註:斯瓦希里語是非洲使用人數最多的語言之一)
13:03
And that gives another另一個 interesting有趣 idea理念.
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這引起了另一個有趣的想法。
13:06
For example, supposing假如 I was a writer作家,
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舉例來說,假設我是作家,
13:09
say, for a newspaper報紙 or for a magazine雜誌.
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在報社或雜誌社工作。
13:11
I could create創建 content內容 in one language語言, FreeSpeechFreeSpeech,
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我的文章可以用一種語言「輕鬆講」來寫,
13:16
and the person who's誰是 consuming消費 that content內容,
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然後有個人買了那則報導,
13:18
the person who's誰是 reading that particular特定 information信息
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閱讀資訊的那個人
13:21
could choose選擇 any engine發動機,
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可以選擇任何引擎,
13:23
and they could read it in their own擁有 mother母親 tongue,
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他們可以用自己的母語閱讀,
13:26
in their native本地人 language語言.
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用他們當地的語言閱讀。
13:30
I mean, this is an incredibly令人難以置信 attractive有吸引力 idea理念,
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我的意思是,這是非常吸引人的想法,
13:33
especially特別 for India印度.
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尤其是在印度。
13:35
We have so many許多 different不同 languages語言.
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我們有好多種語言。
13:36
There's a song歌曲 about India印度, and there's a description描述
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有首關於印度的歌,其中有一段描述
13:39
of the country國家 as, it says,
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將國家比喻為
13:41
(in Sanskrit梵文).
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(梵語)。
13:43
That means手段 "ever-smiling永遠微笑 speaker揚聲器
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意謂著「使用美好語言、
13:46
of beautiful美麗 languages語言."
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永遠微笑的講者」。
13:51
Language語言 is beautiful美麗.
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語言是美好的。
13:52
I think it's the most beautiful美麗 of human人的 creations創作.
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我認為語言是人類最美好的創造。
13:55
I think it's the loveliest可愛 thing
that our brains大腦 have invented發明.
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我認為語言是人腦發明最可愛的東西。
13:59
It entertains招待, it educates受教育者, it enlightens啟蒙觀,
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語言能娛樂、教育、啟發,
14:02
but what I like the most about language語言
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但是我最愛的一點是
14:05
is that it empowers如虎添翼.
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語言能賦予力量。
14:06
I want to leave離開 you with this.
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我想分享一件事。
14:08
This is a photograph照片 of my collaborators合作者,
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這是我合作夥伴的照片,
14:10
my earliest最早 collaborators合作者
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我最初的合作夥伴,
14:11
when I started開始 working加工 on language語言
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當我開始研究語言、
14:13
and autism自閉症 and various各個 other things.
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自閉症和各種不同的事。
14:14
The girl's女孩 name名稱 is PavnaPavna,
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這位女孩名為帕芙娜,
14:16
and that's her mother母親, Kalpana卡爾帕納.
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那是她的母親卡派納,
14:18
And Pavna'sPavna的 an entrepreneur企業家,
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帕芙娜是企業家,
14:20
but her story故事 is much more remarkable卓越 than mine,
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但是她的故事比我的更非凡,
14:22
because PavnaPavna is about 23.
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因為帕芙娜大概才 23 歲。
14:24
She has quadriplegic四肢癱瘓 cerebral顱內 palsy麻痺,
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她患有四肢型腦性麻庳,
14:27
so ever since以來 she was born天生,
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因此從她出生以來,
14:29
she could neither也不 move移動 nor也不 talk.
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她就不能動也不能說話。
14:32
And everything that she's accomplished完成 so far,
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迄今她所完成的所有事情,
14:35
finishing精加工 school學校, going to college學院,
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完成學業、上大學、
14:37
starting開始 a company公司,
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開公司,
14:38
collaborating合作 with me to develop發展 AvazAvaz,
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和我合作開發「阿維思」,
14:40
all of these things she's doneDONE
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她要做任何事情
14:42
with nothing more than moving移動 her eyes眼睛.
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都只能移動她的雙眼。
14:48
Daniel丹尼爾 Webster韋伯斯特 said this:
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丹尼爾.韋伯斯特說:
(註:美國已故政治家)
14:51
He said, "If all of my possessions財產 were taken採取
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「如果要拿走我的一切,
14:53
from me with one exception例外,
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只能留下一種,
14:56
I would choose選擇 to keep the power功率 of communication通訊,
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我會選擇保留溝通的能力,
14:59
for with it, I would regain恢復 all the rest休息."
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以此,我就能取回全部。」
15:03
And that's why, of all of these incredible難以置信
applications應用 of FreeSpeechFreeSpeech,
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那就是「輕鬆講」的所有美好功能中,
15:08
the one that's closest最近的 to my heart
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最能貼近我心的一種
15:11
still remains遺跡 the ability能力 for this
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還保留這項能力,
15:13
to empower授權 children孩子 with disabilities殘疾人
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賦予身障孩童
15:15
to be able能夠 to communicate通信,
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擁能溝通的能力,
15:17
the power功率 of communication通訊,
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擁有溝通的力量,
15:19
to get back all the rest休息.
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就能取回一切。
15:21
Thank you.
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謝謝。
15:22
(Applause掌聲)
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(掌聲)
15:24
Thank you. (Applause掌聲)
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謝謝。(掌聲)
15:28
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. (Applause掌聲)
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謝謝。(掌聲)
15:33
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. (Applause掌聲)
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謝謝。(掌聲)
Translated by Marssi Draw
Reviewed by Wen-Hsin (Willy) Feng

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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Ajit Narayanan - Visual grammar engine inventor
Ajit Narayanan is the inventor of Avaz, an affordable, tablet-based communication device for people who are speech-impaired.

Why you should listen

Ajit Narayanan is the founder and CEO of Invention Labs, and the inventor of Avaz AAC, the first assistive device aimed at an Indian market that helps people with speech disabilities -- such as cerebral palsy, autism, intellectual disability, aphasia and learning disabilities -- to communicate. Avaz is also available as an iPad app, aimed at children with autism. In 2010, Avaz won the National Award for Empowerment of People with Disabilities from the president of India, and in 2011, Narayanan was listed in MIT Technology Review 35 under 35.
 
Narayanan is a prolific inventor with more than 20 patent applications. He is an electrical engineer with degrees from IIT Madras. His research interests are embedded systems, signal processing and understanding how the brain perceives language and communication.

More profile about the speaker
Ajit Narayanan | Speaker | TED.com