My Place
Winner of Govhack 2019 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Languages
Honourable Mention of Govhack 2019 - Unearth references to Indigenous agricultural practices by searching archival records
Our goal
Is to promote and encourage communities across Australia to actively participate in the preservation and reconstruction of some of our most valuable indigenous languages through the use of virtual and augmented reality.
We set out to create a simple, interactive and visual app that provides a useful way for local Indigenous communities to have their language learned and explored based on user GPS location tracking.
The app will utilise gamification techniques, using local indigenous languages to enhance exploration of the local area and incentives users with an increased knowledge of local stories and indigenous language and agricultural practices.
Why
According to the 2005 National Indigenous Language Survey, over 100 of around 250 Australian Indigenous languages are no longer spoken.
Less than 20 are considered strong in the sense that they are being passed to younger generations. But there does appear to be a growing interest in preserving and revitalising Aboriginal languages. A 2008 study found over 80 Indigenous languages are being taught in schools across Australia.
The Team
Matthew Aisthorpe
Katrina Jones
Daniel Johnsen
Annette Horton
Isobel Cook
Jamie Aisthorpe
Who's it for?
For teachers
The app can be used as a teaching tool for students to improve their knowledge of local communities and their language as well as their history.
For communities
Allowing people living in an area to get a better understanding of the local communities. Local communities will also have the technology available to contribute data to the application through the use of a content management system.
For tourists
Learning and understanding more about the local area and communities through the sharing of history and culture.
How does the My Place application work?
When the My Place app is loaded up the user is welcomed by the local community greeting with a translation and are prompted to log in. The greeting language is determined by the GPS location of the device.
When logged in, the user is taken to a google map overlay of their location centralised to the the GPS coordinates on their phone or they can choose a location in Australia.
Also in the map mode there are multiple features:
Display key points of interest in the local area for the user and unlock related stories.
Filters to view agricultural historical layouts of the area.
A button to start Augmented Reality mode.
A button to open Story mode.
In Augmented Reality mode the user can:
Visualise points using geocached markers created by local communities to preserve indigenous languages.
Look at an inanimate object (like a tree or house etc) to unlock the local indigenous word.
In Story mode
Users can view local stories they have unlocked.
By unlocking the native words users will see translated local stories.
Users will be able to read the local stories using native language terms alongside an english translation.
Log In Screen
Map Mode
AR Mode
Story Mode
How are the datasets used?
Using the users location from the device we hook into the State Library of Queensland - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages word lists api to get the welcome message in the language and name of the local indigenous tribe.
The Rockhampton Regional Council Library data is used to add the local community stories to the application.
We use the Austlang Dataset and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Languages along with the user location to display the local indigenous tribe's names of places and objects within the application.
Future plans
Implement a content management system service using https://livingtongues.org/ or a similar product and promote to local communities to upload their languages and translations.
Create a procedurally generated map based off information contribute by local communities, highlighting key landmarks and stories.
Integrate virtual reality for indigenous languages into schools as a common education practice.
Utilise AI models for predictive translation of the area into indigenous language.
Utilise AI to convert english spoken words or text into the local indigenous translation.
Read our submission on GovHack - https://2019.hackerspace.govhack.org/projects/my_place