I can read is a menu translation service explaining foreign words for the elderly.
The problem we are trying to solve is the issue of elderly exclusion caused by the overuse of foreign words in Korean society.
According to the National Institute of the Korean Language, the frequency of foreign words and loanword use is high at 54.3% in Korea, and the foreign words proficiency of the elderly is more than twice as low as those under 60.
However, since foreign words are already deeply rooted in our daily lives, there is no way to stop their use. In this situation, the discomfort of the elderly is inevitable.
A Korean cafe where the entire menu is written in a foreign language.
In particular, cafes, where most of the terms used are foreign words, cause significant difficulties for the elderly when ordering. In Korea, cafes are not just places to drink coffee; they play an important social role as a space for meeting and communication. If people cannot even order in a space that everyone should be able to use freely, they will feel excluded.
The most fundamental solution is to reduce the use of foreign words in daily life, but there is no way to eliminate the increasing number of foreign language menus that cater to people's demands. In response to this situation, we have come up with a solution to solve this problem.
First, ease communication constraints caused by the digital information gap.
Second, resolve elderly exclusion and inequality caused by the inability to communicate properly as social members.
Finally, solve the generation gap problem by sharing similar experiences.
We aim to address the 10th goal of UN SDGs, "Reducing inequality within and among countries”. And particularly focused on the second sub-goal which is "Promote universal social, economic, and political inclusion".
With this solution, we try to solve the problem of elderly who have difficulty understanding cafe menus because of the foreign words, and to ensure equal rights.
Please click on the image below to watch the video
The application uses an ML model to extract the text and provide explanations without requiring the user to input foreign words one by one.
Users can select their preferences such as coffee or non-coffee, and the application will recommend a menu for them.
- Download the apk file here.
- Run the apk file on your phone.
| Name | Minji Kim | Hanbi Kim | Yujin Moon | Yunjeong Choi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Role | Front-end Developer | Front-end Developer | ML Developer | Back-end Developer |