MOTHER TONGUES prototyping a migrant-friendly digital phrasebook Mother Tongues is a proposal for an open source network addressing migrant communities’ - being them asylum seekers, refugees or just economic migrants - lack of language skills by broadcasting translations from English to multiple languages, accessible through any smatphone. In times of migration crisis, it aims to facilitate communication in emrgency situations as much as fostering social inclusion while accomplishing daily life tasks. It empowers individuals as active community members, by using cheap tech, off-the-shelf components and an open source infrastructure.
self-directed project (2016)
can social isolation be tackled through hyper-local tech? Mother tongues started from the observation that availability of accessible ESOL courses, essential to initiate the integration process, is often insufficient. Furthermore, it considered how many efforts aimed at supporting refugee and migrant communities now pass through smartphones. But, no matter how excellent the service is, many rarely reach the users they are targeting. Because the very name of the app or weblink is not known or simply because users have no access to internet. The project focused instead on the potential of open source platforms and geo-specific interventions, tackling particular vocabulary needs in a given context.
Translations are accessible as content broadcasted by media wi-fi servers scattered around the city and readable through any smartphone - just connecting to an open wi-fi, without need for internet or apps. Basic unit is a "tongue", a local wi-fi media server, consistsing of an open source single board computer (Raspberry pi) connected to a SD card, a wi-fi dongle and a USB charger. Tongues can be placed in specific locations where migrants are required to interact with locals, without an interpreter, using specific vocabulary. Asking for directions at a train station, equiring about their rights with a lawyer, describing their symptoms to a doctor.
USB WIFI DONGLE SINGLE BOARD COMPUTER
MEMORY CARD
USB CHARGER
FLAT-PACK LASER CUT CASE
HOW TO.
Set up a tongue
GENERAL
buy off shelf
laser cut
HEALTH
DIRECTION
LAW
download translations
the case is available for downloada nd
The computer, aerials, SD card and
A list of context-specific phrase-
ready for laser cutting from a unique
plugs/batteries are off-shelf com-
books is available online - to select
sheet of the material you prefer.
ponents to be bought separately.
and upload on the device.
assemble
set up in loco
pin point on map
the Raspberry Pi must be flashed
Cases are fitted to be set up in
Register your device on the online
with
different ways: hanged on a wall,
map, specifying location any cate-
lying on a window sill, etc...
gory of transaltions uploaded on it.
Mother
Tongues
firmware
before connecting with other pieces.
HOW TO.
Use a tongue
NEW WORD
Arabic
X
Arabic English
ﻥﺍﻱﺙﻍﻝﺍﺏ ﺭﻉﺵﺍ
xx
chest tongue_wifi BTWifi-X SKYBFDA5
ﻑﻱﺯﻥ ﻱﺩﻝ
xx PRONUNCIATION
æ ﺓﺥﻭﺩﻝﺍﺏ ﺭﻉﺵﺃ
Given the open source nature of
xx
TRANSLATION English
ﻱ ﺭ ّﻙﺱ ﻱﺩﻥﻉ
)ﺓﺭﺍﺭﺡ( ﺓﻥﻭﺥﺱ ﻱﺩﻝ
the
xx
PRONUNCIATION
xx
the
interface
displayed on a smartphone con-
æ
nected to any "tongue wifi" allows
ﻉﺍﺩﺹ ﻱﺩﻝ
ﻱﻉﻭﻝﺍ ﻥﻉ ﺕﺏﻍ
project,
SAVE
+
to browse existing translations as much as adding new ones. Tailoring the service to the needs of the community using it.
CON NE C T TO
BROWSE THE
U P D AT E
A DEVICE
PH RAS E B O O K
T RA NS LAT IO NS