Reference number : GC-2017-Q4-01573, amendment number : , agreement type : G, recipient legal name : Rudzicz, Frank (University of Toronto), recipient country : CA, recipient province : nan, recipient city : Ontario, recipient postal code : nan, program name english : Engage Grants for universities, program name french : Subventions d'engagement partenarial pour les universités, program purpose english : Learning a new language is hard, especially for adults. While vocabulary, grammar, writing, reading and_x000D_
listening are all challenging, learning to speak in a new language is hardest of all. This is particularly true when_x000D_
learning a language very different than one's own._x000D_
This project would circumvent various difficulties inherent in learning to speak in a foreign language. We will_x000D_
construct a software platform able to autonomously guide language learners towards proficiency in a foreign_x000D_
tongue, either independently or with the support of a human tutor. The project would implement discoveries_x000D_
about how humans learn new languages, along with powerful algorithms that can analyze and manipulate each_x000D_
learner's attempts to speak in a foreign language._x000D_
The project is a collaboration between Dr. Frank Rudzicz (Assistant Professor, Computer Science, University_x000D_
of Toronto) and Dr. Simon Overduin (Founder, Syngli Inc.). Dr. Rudzicz is a leading research within computer_x000D_
science, and has made important contributions to the understanding of speech analysis, recognition, feature_x000D_
extraction and manipulation. Dr. Overduin's own research background focused on the optimization and neural_x000D_
underpinnings of behaviour, including speech. His start-up Syngli applies some of the research by Dr. Overduin_x000D_
and colleagues, in the form of an intelligent tutoring system that is able to track and guide learning in a wide_x000D_
variety of domains., program purpose french : Learning a new language is hard, especially for adults. While vocabulary, grammar, writing, reading and_x000D_
listening are all challenging, learning to speak in a new language is hardest of all. This is particularly true when_x000D_
learning a language very different than one's own._x000D_
This project would circumvent various difficulties inherent in learning to speak in a foreign language. We will_x000D_
construct a software platform able to autonomously guide language learners towards proficiency in a foreign_x000D_
tongue, either independently or with the support of a human tutor. The project would implement discoveries_x000D_
about how humans learn new languages, along with powerful algorithms that can analyze and manipulate each_x000D_
learner's attempts to speak in a foreign language._x000D_
The project is a collaboration between Dr. Frank Rudzicz (Assistant Professor, Computer Science, University_x000D_
of Toronto) and Dr. Simon Overduin (Founder, Syngli Inc.). Dr. Rudzicz is a leading research within computer_x000D_
science, and has made important contributions to the understanding of speech analysis, recognition, feature_x000D_
extraction and manipulation. Dr. Overduin's own research background focused on the optimization and neural_x000D_
underpinnings of behaviour, including speech. His start-up Syngli applies some of the research by Dr. Overduin_x000D_
and colleagues, in the form of an intelligent tutoring system that is able to track and guide learning in a wide_x000D_
variety of domains., agreement title english : Exploiting natural neural control to minimize speech errors among language learners, agreement title french : Exploiting natural neural control to minimize speech errors among language learners, agreement number : EGP, agreement value : 25000.0, agreement start date : 2018-03-22, agreement end date : nan, description english : nan, description french : nan, expected results english : nan, expected results french : nan, additional information english : Grant or Award spanning more than one fiscal year (2017-2018 to 2018-2019)., additional information french : Subvention ou bourse octroyée s'appliquant à plus d'un exercice financier (2017-2018 à 2018-2019)., owner organization : nserc-crsng, owner organization title : Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada | Conseil de recherches en sciences naturelles et en génie du Canada