Funny software is no joke

What do you call a spicy missile? A hot shot!

So goes the joke told by a child dependent on a computer for communicating when they tested new software designed by a team of scientists at Dundee, Aberdeen and Edinburgh.

The software - STANDUP - is making language fun for children unable to speak for themselves who use speech technology like that used by the physicist Stephen Hawking.

STANDUP is the result of collaboration between Dr Annalu Waller in the School of Computing and colleagues at the Universities of Aberdeen and Edinburgh.

The aim of the project, which has been running for three years, was to explore how humour could be used to help non-speaking children develop their language skills.

The result was a software programme that allows the children to generate novel puns and play on words - skills believed to play an important role in developing a child's language and communication skills.

"Research shows that computerised speech aids, although very helpful, can restrict the development of a child's language skills because they stick to exact literal meanings and don't allow for plays on words," Dr Waller said.

"Many people who use communication aids tend to be passive communicators, responding to questions with one or two word answers."

"In contrast, speaking children typically use humour to experiment with words and improve their social skills. Research also suggests that experimenting with language helps children become more fluent and more adept at conversation."

Nine young people at the Capability Scotland's Corseford School near Glasgow have already evaluated the software. During the ten-week trial the children regaled their peers, staff, family and neighbours with jokes.

While their joy and enthusiasm for entertaining others was clear, their use of STANDUP also had a beneficial effect on their overall communication.

"This project focussed on whether a system could be designed to be used by children with limited physical abilities. The results show that we have succeeded in enabling the nine children to generate and tell punning riddles," Dr Waller said.

"Analysis of the children's underlying linguistic abilities suggests that STANDUP has had a positive effect on their word categorisation skills. We are now applying for funding to investigate the impact STANDUP has on the vocabulary acquisition in these children".

"We also want to investigate the use of STANDUP with able bodied children with language disorders"

STANDUP - System to augment non-speakers' dialogue using puns - was developed with the help of teachers, therapists and adults who use voice communication aids.