Skip to main content
Home

Information for:

  • Alumni
  • Applicants
  • Current Students
  • Staff
  • Parents
  • Job Vacancies
  • Covid-19
  • Cymraeg
My country:

Main Menu

    • Study Options
      • Study Home
      • Why Study at Bangor?
      • Undergraduate Study
      • Postgraduate Taught Study
      • Postgraduate Research
      • Part-time Courses
      • January Start Courses
      • Degree Apprenticeships
      • Study Abroad
      • Work Experience
    • Study Advice
      • Apply
      • Already Applied?
      • Fees and Finances
      • Scholarships and Bursaries
      • Get Ready for University
    • Explore Bangor
      • Open Days and Visits
      • Virtual Student Experience

    Find a Course

    Order a Prospectus

    • Student Life
      • Student Life Home
      • Bangor and the Area
      • Social Life and Entertainment
      • Accommodation
      • Clubs and Societies
      • Sport
      • Virtual Student Experience
    • Your Experience at Bangor
      • Student Support
      • Skills and Employability
      • Study or Work Abroad
      • Fees and Finances

    Student Profiles

    Student Videos and Vlogs

    • Choose Bangor
      • International Home
      • Why Bangor?
      • Location
      • Accommodation
      • Student Support
      • Contact Us
    • Apply
      • Entry Requirements
      • Tuition Fees and Scholarships
      • How to Apply
      • Already Applied
      • Study Abroad
      • Exchanges

    Country Specific Information

    Join us on a Virtual Open Day

    Bangor University International College

    Covid-19 Information

    • Research
      • Research Home
      • About Our Research
      • Research in our Academic Schools
      • Research Institutes and Centres
      • Research Portal
      • Research, Innovation and Impact Office (RIIO)
      • Energy
      • Research News
    • Postgraduate Research Opportunities
      • Postgraduate Research
      • Doctoral School
    • Events and Training Opportunities
      • Researcher Development
    • The University
      • About Us
      • Our Mission
      • Strategy 2030
      • Annual Review
      • Our Location
      • Academic Schools and Colleges
      • Services and Facilities
      • University Management and Governance
      • Vice Chancellor’s Office
      • Working with Business
      • Working with the Community
      • Sustainability
      • Contact Us
    • Working for Us
      • Job Vacancies
    • University Management and Governance
      • Policies and Procedures
      • Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement
    • University and the Community
      • Pontio
      • Sports Facilities
      • Conference Facilities
      • Places to Eat and Drink
      • Public Events
      • Widening Access
      • Services to Schools
    • Business Services
      • Business Services Home
    • Collaboration Hub
      • Collaboration Hub
      • Funding for Collaborative Research and Development (R&D) & Innovation
      • Business Facilities and Networks
      • Consultancy, Specialist Expertise and Knowledge
      • Commercialisation and Intellectual Property (IP)
      • Student Placements and Internships in Business & Enterprise
      • Training and Continuing Professional Development
      • Degree Apprenticeships
    • Conferencing and Business Dining
      • Conferencing Facilities
      • Business Dining
    • Contacts
      • Research, Innovation and Impact Office (RIIO)
      • Get In Touch
    • News
      • Current News
      • Research News
      • Student News
    • Events
      • Events

    • Study Options
      • Study Home
      • Why Study at Bangor?
      • Undergraduate Study
      • Postgraduate Taught Study
      • Postgraduate Research
      • Part-time Courses
      • January Start Courses
      • Degree Apprenticeships
      • Study Abroad
      • Work Experience
    • Study Advice
      • Apply
      • Already Applied?
      • Fees and Finances
      • Scholarships and Bursaries
      • Get Ready for University
    • Explore Bangor
      • Virtual Open Days and Visits
      • Virtual Student Experience

    Find a Course

    Order a Prospectus

    • Student Life
      • Student Life Home
      • Bangor and the Area
      • Social Life and Entertainment
      • Accommodation
      • Clubs and Societies
      • Sport
      • Virtual Student Experience
    • Your Experience at Bangor
      • Student Support
      • Skills and Employability
      • Study or Work Abroad
      • Fees and Finances

    Student Profiles

    Student Videos and Vlogs

    • Choose Bangor
      • International Home
      • Why Bangor?
      • Location
      • Student Support
      • Contact Us
    • Apply
      • Entry Requirements
      • Tuition Fees and Scholarships
      • How to Apply
      • Already Applied
      • Study Abroad
      • Exchanges

    Country Specific Information

    Join us on a Virtual Open Day

    Bangor University International College

    Covid-19 Information

    • Research
      • Research Home
      • About Our Research
      • Research in our Academic Schools
      • Research Institutes and Centres
      • Research Portal
      • Research, Innovation and Impact Office (RIIO)
      • Energy
      • Research News
    • Postgraduate Research Opportunities
      • Postgraduate Research
      • Doctoral School
    • Events and Training Opportunities
      • Researcher Development
    • The University
      • About Us
      • Our Mission
      • Strategy 2030
      • Annual Review
      • Our Location
      • Academic Schools and Colleges
      • Services and Facilities
      • University Management and Governance
      • Vice Chancellor’s Office
      • Working with Business
      • Working with the Community
      • Sustainability
      • Contact Us
    • Working for Us
      • Job Vacancies
    • University Management and Governance
      • Policies and Procedures
      • Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement
    • University and the Community
      • Pontio
      • Sports Facilities
      • Conference Facilities
      • Places to Eat and Drink
      • Public Events
      • Widening Access
      • Services to Schools
    • Business Services
      • Business Services Home
    • Collaboration Hub
      • Collaboration Hub
      • Funding for Collaborative Research and Development (R&D) & Innovation
      • Business Facilities and Networks
      • Consultancy, Specialist Expertise and Knowledge
      • Commercialisation and Intellectual Property (IP)
      • Student Placements and Internships in Business & Enterprise
      • Training and Continuing Professional Development
      • Degree Apprenticeships
    • Conferencing and Business Dining
      • Conferencing Facilities
      • Business Dining
    • Contacts
      • Research, Innovation and Impact Office (RIIO)
      • Get In Touch
    • News
      • Current News
      • Research News
      • Student News
    • Events
      • Events

Information for:

  • Alumni
  • Applicants
  • Current Students
  • Staff
  • Parents
  • Job Vacancies
  • Covid-19
My country:

Search

Close

Breadcrumb

Share this page:
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Cymraeg

Share this page:
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn

Archived News

Read our archived news stories

Welsh Technology in Support of the Economy

Prof David Shepherd, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Minister Alun davies and Delyth Prys of the language technologies Unit at the start of the ConferenceProf David Shepherd, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Minister Alun Davies and Delyth Prys of the Language Technologies Unit at the start of the ConferenceInnovative Welsh language Technologies can provide an impetus to the north Wales economy – that was one of the main messages of a conference on Technology and Welsh Language held at Bangor University’s Pontio Arts & Innovation Centre recently (Friday 20 January).

The Conference showcased exciting new developments in Welsh speech technology, discussing how Welsh can help other languages, and explaining how technology is helping to develop the Welsh economy. The conference was sponsored by the Welsh Government and the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol.

The conference was opened by Alun Davies, the Minister for the Welsh Language and Continuing Education. He was welcomed by Professor David Shepherd, Deputy Vice-Chancellor at Bangor University.

Minister Alun Davies said:

“Ensuring a robust infrastructure for the Welsh language is essential to achieve one million Welsh speakers, and it will remain a priority as we prepare a language strategy for the future. The Welsh Government has invested in language technologies, such as the pioneering ones being launched today.

It’s using Welsh that’s important; it’s vital that Welsh speakers can get hold of technology to support their use of Welsh in every aspect of life.”

The conference was organised by Delyth Prys, head of the Language Technologies Unit at Bangor University’s Canolfan Bedwyr.

Delyth said “The Welsh Government have been very generous in their support of our Macsen project, which is developing a Welsh personal assistant similar to Alexa, Siri or Cortana, and it was great being able to demonstrate our latest achievements to Alun Davies. The Welsh Government have also sponsored a KESS scholarship for a PhD student to work on Welsh speech technology with ourselves and our School of Linguistics, and it was great that the Minister could meet with the student, Indeg Williams.”

In addition to speakers from Wales, Mohomodou Houssouba from Basel University in Switzerland, but originally from Mali, spoke on how he has adapted the Language technologies Unit’s translation technology to work with French and Songhay, and how such technology could be used across languages to save on development costs. Another guest speaker was Cathal Convery, Dictionary Manager for the Foras na Gaeilge Irish Dictionary, discussed the new Irish Digital Strategy for the Irish language. In the afternoon Welsh software companies showcased their commercial products designed to support Welsh. Amongst them was Galactig, who create Welsh apps and television products; Interceptor Solutions who have created LinguaSkin, a multilingual interface for websites; Moilin interactive media company; and Semantise Ltd who create bilingual software for the education sector.

Stefano Ghazzali, a software developer at the Language Technologies Unit and chair of the conference session on Welsh and the Economy, said, “It was encouraging to see so many Welsh companies bringing innovative products to market, creating new jobs and supporting the Welsh language at the same time”.

One of the highlights of the day was the presentation by Dewi Bryn Jones, lead software developer at the Language Technologies Unit, on Macsen and Welsh Speech Recognition. This is a fast moving field showing great promise in improving the technology for every language. The Unit will place the results of the Macsen project on the Welsh National Language Technology Portal, where anyone, including commercial companies, can access the resources and use them in their own products.  

 

Publication date: 24 January 2017

Home

About Us

Services and Facilities

  • Canolfan Bedwyr
    • Home
    • Policy
      • Bangor University Welsh Language Policy
      • Welsh Language Standards
      • Strategic plan:Welsh in the Workplace
      • Quick Guide
      • Monitoring Policy and Standards
      • Comments and Complaints
      • Learning Welsh at Bangor University
      • Welsh Language Standards: Annual Reports
    • Supporting
    • Language Skill Development
      • For Students
      • For Staff
      • External
      • Sabbaticals Scheme
      • Learning Welsh at Bangor University
    • Translation
      • Translating Documents
      • Proofreading Welsh Documents
      • Simultaneous Translation
      • Simultaneous Translation Booking Form
      • Frequently Asked Questions
      • Translation Unit Glossary
    • Language Technologies
      • Cysgliad
      • Ap Geiriaduron / Dictionary App
      • Electronic Dictionaries
      • Terminology
      • Language Corpora
      • Place-names
      • Speech Technology
      • Translation Technologies
      • Research Output
    • Cymraeg Clir
      • Translation and Editing Service
      • Cymraeg Clir Book
      • 12 Rules
      • Cymraeg Clir Seal
      • Resources
    • ARFer progamme
      • ARFer Toolkit
    • Resources
    • Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol
    • Cymorth Cymraeg
    • Our Websites
    • Research
    • News
    • About Us
      • Staff
      • How fo find us
      • Who was Bedwyr?
      • Did you know?
      • Timeline
    • Contact Us
      • Mailing List
Home

Follow Us

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Youtube
  • LinkedIn

Bangor University

Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2DG, UK

+44 (0)1248 351151

Contact Us

Visit Us

Maps & Directions

Policy

  • Legal Compliance
  • Modern Slavery Act 2015 Statement
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Privacy and Cookies
Map

Bangor University is a Registered Charity: No. 1141565

© 2020 Bangor University