In a world dominated by other languages, Luganda, an African language spoken by more than 20 million people, has entered the field of artificial intelligence. The Luganda neural text-to-speech (or L-N-T-S) system accurately converts text into speech using Luganda’s linguistic structure. It is particularly useful for Luganda speakers who understand the language but struggle to read due to visual impairments or illiteracy.
Developed by researchers in Uganda, the L-N-T-S system works offline on basic devices like mobile phones or tablets, and there is also an online platform, serving more sophisticated needs. The system maintains the language’s authenticity and cultural nuances. This project marks a significant communication milestone, offering a convenient way to engage with content written in Luganda, and sets the stage for similar initiatives in other African languages.
