Systems and methods for increasing learning via transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation is presented. The disclosure can include positioning a device within a human ear and delivering specifically timed and modulated pulses of electrical energy to the auricular vagus nerve transcutaneously, avoiding invasive procedures commonly associated with vagus nerve stimulation. The present disclosure can enhance reading comprehension, facilitate the learning letter-sound relationships, and provide for increased retention of new languages for a patient, all without surgically implanting a device into a patient.

Systems and methods for increasing learning via transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation is presented. The disclosure can include positioning a device within a human ear and delivering specifically timed and modulated pulses of electrical energy to the auricular vagus nerve transcutaneously, avoiding invasive procedures commonly associated with vagus nerve stimulation. The present disclosure can enhance reading comprehension, facilitate the learning letter-sound relationships, and provide for increased retention of new languages for a patient, all without surgically implanting a device into a patient.

Provided is a system which allows a learner who is a non-native speaker of a given language to intuitively improve pronunciation of the language. A pronunciation conversion apparatus includes a conversion section which converts a first feature value corresponding to a first speech signal obtained when a first speaker who speaks a given language as his/her native language speaks another language such that the first feature value approaches a second feature value corresponding to a second speech signal obtained when a second speaker who speaks the other language as his/her native language speaks the other language, each of the first feature value and the second feature value is a feature value capable of representing a difference in pronunciation, and a speech signal obtained from the first feature value after the conversion is presented to the first speaker.

Speech fluency evaluation and feedback tools are described. A computing device such as a smartphone may be used to collect speech (and/or other data). The collected data may be analyzed to detect various speech events (e.g., stuttering) and feedback may be generated and provided based on the detected speech events. The collected data may be used to generate a fluency score or other performance metric associated with speech. Collected data may be provided to a practitioner such as a speech therapist or physician for improved analysis and/or treatment.

Speech fluency evaluation and feedback tools are described. A computing device such as a smartphone may be used to collect speech (and/or other data). The collected data may be analyzed to detect various speech events (e.g., stuttering) and feedback may be generated and provided based on the detected speech events. The collected data may be used to generate a fluency score or other performance metric associated with speech. Collected data may be provided to a practitioner such as a speech therapist or physician for improved analysis and/or treatment.

A method of providing a language training to a user by a computing device comprising a processor and a memory is provided. The method comprises: providing contents corresponding to the language training to a user terminal; receiving the user’s voice data from the user terminal; detecting a pitch and a loudness of the user’s voice by analyzing the voice data; and generating a training evaluation by evaluating the user’s training for the contents corresponding to the language training based on the user’s voice data, further comprising determining a phoneme with poor pronunciation accuracy by analyzing the user’s voice data; and automatically generating and providing at least one of a vocabulary, a sentence, and a paragraph including the determined phoneme.

A method of providing a language training to a user by a computing device comprising a processor and a memory is provided. The method comprises: providing contents corresponding to the language training to a user terminal; receiving the user’s voice data from the user terminal; detecting a pitch and a loudness of the user’s voice by analyzing the voice data; and generating a training evaluation by evaluating the user’s training for the contents corresponding to the language training based on the user’s voice data, further comprising determining a phoneme with poor pronunciation accuracy by analyzing the user’s voice data; and automatically generating and providing at least one of a vocabulary, a sentence, and a paragraph including the determined phoneme.

Provided is a learning assistance technology that uses a learning history to check the level of comprehension by a learner in relation to a learning target. Included are a score calculation unit that uses a first occurrence ratio α(n) of a learning target Q(n) calculated using an occurrence frequency R(n) of the learning target Q(n) in a document to be used as a basis for creating a confirmation question and a second occurrence ratio β(n) of the learning target Q(n) weighted by viewing time and calculated using the occurrence frequency R(n) of the learning target Q(n) and a viewing time for each page of the document included in a learning history to calculate one of the difference between the first occurrence ratio α(n) and the second occurrence ratio β(n), the absolute value of the difference, or the ratio as a score S(n) of the learning target Q(n), and a query generation unit that treats the learning target Q(n) corresponding to the n for which the score S(n) is maximized as a query, that is, the learning target with which to create a confirmation question for a learner.

Provided is a learning assistance technology that uses a learning history to check the level of comprehension by a learner in relation to a learning target. Included are a score calculation unit that uses a first occurrence ratio α(n) of a learning target Q(n) calculated using an occurrence frequency R(n) of the learning target Q(n) in a document to be used as a basis for creating a confirmation question and a second occurrence ratio β(n) of the learning target Q(n) weighted by viewing time and calculated using the occurrence frequency R(n) of the learning target Q(n) and a viewing time for each page of the document included in a learning history to calculate one of the difference between the first occurrence ratio α(n) and the second occurrence ratio β(n), the absolute value of the difference, or the ratio as a score S(n) of the learning target Q(n), and a query generation unit that treats the learning target Q(n) corresponding to the n for which the score S(n) is maximized as a query, that is, the learning target with which to create a confirmation question for a learner.

The present invention provides a pronunciation error detection apparatus capable of following a text without the need for a correct sentence even when erroneous recognition such as a reading error occurs. The pronunciation error detection apparatus comprises: a speech recognition part that recognizes the speech in speech data based on a speech recognition model for a non-native speaker, and outputs speech recognition results, reliability and time information; a reliability determination part that outputs the speech recognition results with higher reliability than a predetermined threshold and the corresponding time information as the determined speech recognition results and the determined time information; and a pronunciation error detection part that outputs a phoneme as a pronunciation error when reliability for each phoneme in the speech recognition results using the native speaker speech recognition model under a weakly constraining grammar is greater than the reliability of the corresponding phoneme in the speech recognition results using the native speaker acoustic model under a constraining grammar in which the determined speech recognition results are correct for the speech data in a segment specified by the determined time information.