Professor Inseok Hwang and a team of researchers from POSTECH collaborated with Professor Dongsun Yim from Ewha Womans University to create a system that uses generative artificial intelligence and home IoT technology to generate personalized storybooks for children to assist in language learning. The research was recognized at the “ACM CHI” conference with an “Honorable Mention Award.”
The team recognized the importance of children’s language development in their overall growth and social interactions but found that traditional methods lacked diversity support. To address this, they developed an educational system that utilizes IoT devices to monitor a child’s language environment, assess their exposure to vocabulary, and create personalized language learning materials based on key factors relevant to speech pathology.
By incorporating advanced generative AI technologies like GPT-4 and Stable Diffusion, the researchers were able to produce customized children’s books that integrate specific target vocabulary for each child. The system was designed to adapt to changes in a child’s language development and environment, ensuring continual updates to both the vocabulary and personalized storybooks.
After testing the system on 9 families over a four-week period, the results indicated that children effectively learned the target vocabulary, showcasing the system’s potential for everyday use beyond the therapy room. Lead author Jungeun Lee expressed her hopes to leverage AI to create customized guides tailored to individuals’ unique levels and needs.
Professor Inseok Hwang emphasized the successful integration of generative AI technology with speech pathology theory in developing a personalized language stimulation and development system. Co-author Professor Dongsun Yim highlighted the system’s ability to provide personalized language support services tailored to children exposed to varied environments and languages, demonstrating its potential for non-traditional educational approaches.
The research was supported by the Mid-Career Researcher Program of the National Research Foundation of Korea, the SSK, the ITRC of the IITP, and the ICT R&D Innovation Voucher Program. Overall, the innovative system developed by the research team showcases the potential for personalized language learning interventions that cater to the diverse environments and learning goals of children.