BAYBAYIN. Mathematicians from the University of the Philippines - Diliman have developed a system that could convert Baybayin to Latin characters. The group is currently improving the system and is eyeing to create a two-way translator. (Image courtesy of UP-Diliman)
MANILA – Mathematicians from the University of the Philippines - Diliman are currently working on improving the Baybayin translator system they have recently developed, and are eyeing to create a two-way translator and eventually a mobile app.
According to UP, masters student Rodney Pino and associate professors Renier Mendoza and Rachelle Sambayan developed an algorithm to convert a photograph of a set of text into binary data, which is then run through a support vector machine (SVM) character classifier to automatically determine whether the characters are Baybayin or Latin.
The paragraph-level optical character recognition (OCR) could distinguish between entire blocks of Baybayin and Latin characters in a text image.
They are currently developing a full-way translator.
“We have a dataset for Baybayin characters -- let’s say character A and then character BA. (The) SVM uses techniques or mathematical methods that can separate the two datasets to determine characters BA and A,” said Pino in a news release, adding that they have 110 paragraphs from different websites that have either hand- or typewritten Baybayin, Latin, or Baybayin and Latin writing.
The OCR system can spell out the Latin equivalent of the Baybayin characters on a page and produces a transliterated version of the text.
The Filipino mathematicians are looking at making the OCR system capable of analyzing the context of Baybayin words and phrases.
They are also trying to make a two-way translator to convert Latin words with foreign sounds into Baybayin.
“We’re trying to refine the software we developed to make it easier for future users to navigate it. We also dream of creating a mobile application that automatically and accurately translates Baybayin characters just by hovering over the phone,” said Mendoza.
He said it is not easy for the OCR system to translate Baybayin words and sentences accurately as it currently can’t distinguish between some Baybayin characters that are similar in writing, such as E and I and O and U.
"We also have a lot of words that have different Latin equivalents. The algorithm we used shows all possible translations of the Baybayin words," Mendoza said.
Meanwhile, the group is hopeful that more researchers will be interested to study more about Baybayin to help preserve this.
According to Sambayan, identifying and translating Baybayin is important since many Filipinos can't read or write the Baybayin.
“We’re hoping that through this OCR system, we could preserve and pass on the knowledge of understanding Baybayin to future Filipino generations,” Sambayan said. (PNA)
According to UP, masters student Rodney Pino and associate professors Renier Mendoza and Rachelle Sambayan developed an algorithm to convert a photograph of a set of text into binary data, which is then run through a support vector machine (SVM) character classifier to automatically determine whether the characters are Baybayin or Latin.
The paragraph-level optical character recognition (OCR) could distinguish between entire blocks of Baybayin and Latin characters in a text image.
They are currently developing a full-way translator.
“We have a dataset for Baybayin characters -- let’s say character A and then character BA. (The) SVM uses techniques or mathematical methods that can separate the two datasets to determine characters BA and A,” said Pino in a news release, adding that they have 110 paragraphs from different websites that have either hand- or typewritten Baybayin, Latin, or Baybayin and Latin writing.
The OCR system can spell out the Latin equivalent of the Baybayin characters on a page and produces a transliterated version of the text.
The Filipino mathematicians are looking at making the OCR system capable of analyzing the context of Baybayin words and phrases.
They are also trying to make a two-way translator to convert Latin words with foreign sounds into Baybayin.
“We’re trying to refine the software we developed to make it easier for future users to navigate it. We also dream of creating a mobile application that automatically and accurately translates Baybayin characters just by hovering over the phone,” said Mendoza.
He said it is not easy for the OCR system to translate Baybayin words and sentences accurately as it currently can’t distinguish between some Baybayin characters that are similar in writing, such as E and I and O and U.
"We also have a lot of words that have different Latin equivalents. The algorithm we used shows all possible translations of the Baybayin words," Mendoza said.
Meanwhile, the group is hopeful that more researchers will be interested to study more about Baybayin to help preserve this.
According to Sambayan, identifying and translating Baybayin is important since many Filipinos can't read or write the Baybayin.
“We’re hoping that through this OCR system, we could preserve and pass on the knowledge of understanding Baybayin to future Filipino generations,” Sambayan said. (PNA)
