Leeuwarden, Netherlands

Speech Technology

What is speech technology now and what can it become?

Join this five-day journey designed for the innovators, the dreamers, and the hands-on learners. Dive into a dynamic curriculum that blends the arts, ethics, design and technology. Engage in stimulating discussions and thought-provoking lectures. Experience a unique convergence of human-centered design and futuring, opening new horizons in how we think about and interact with technology.

What will you learn?

- Foundational knowledge: Grasp the core principles of speech technology, gaining insights into its current landscape and future potential.

- Creative application: Creatively apply speech tech principles through engaging activities.

- Futuring skills: Develop skills in future trend forecasting and scenario planning. Anticipate and shape the future of this field.

- Design thinking: Explore speculative design to materialize your ideas. Transform abstract concepts into tangible prototypes for articulating and visualizing tomorrow’s of speech technology applications.

- Ethical insights: Gain understanding of the ethical implications in speech tech. Explore the balance between innovation and ethical responsibility.

- Collaborative synthesis: Bring together your learnings to collaboratively craft a manifesto for inclusive speech interfaces, embodying a collective vision for the future of speech tech.

How will you learn it?

- Engaging lectures and discussions by field leaders.

- Hands-on lab work for practical experience.

- Collaborative group activities and scenario mapping workshops.

- Inspirational guest speakers and panel debates.

Don't miss this chance to be part of a community redefining the intersection of technology, ethics, and the arts. Apply now and shape the conversation on the new era of technological innovation!

Course leader

Matt Coler

Target group

This program is designed for anyone interested in the topic. It is an entry-level summer school for all. No prior knowledge is required.

We predict the students from some disciplines may be particularly interested. In order of relevance:

Emerging Tech and Innovation Studies: Those involved in broader fields of emerging technology, innovation studies, or science and technology studies will find the course's focus on the future implications and ethical considerations of speech technology particularly relevant.

Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and Responsible User Experience (UX) Design: Students and professionals in HCI and UX Design programs will benefit from exploring how speech interfaces can enhance user experience and accessibility in technology design. The course provides practical examples of user-centered design principles in speech technology applications.

Computer Science and AI students: Ideal for those enrolled in BSc or MSc in Computer Science, particularly with a focus on Artificial Intelligence. This summer school offers a reflection on how speech technology is developed and integrated into AI systems, providing valuable insights for both theoretical research and practical application.

Linguistics and Phonetics students: Students in Linguistics and Phonetics will find this summer school bridges the gap between theoretical linguistic models and their application in speech synthesis and recognition, offering a unique perspective on the intersection of language and technology.

Cognitive Science and Psychology: For those in Cognitive Science or Psychology, especially those focusing on human-computer interaction, this summer school offers topics of interest.

Course aim

After this summer school you will be able to:

- Explain the fundamentals of Speech Technology: Clearly articulate the underlying principles, mechanisms, and potential advancements in speech recognition and synthesis systems.
- Integrate ethical and human-centered design in Speech Tech: Assess and incorporate ethical considerations and human-centered design approaches in the development and evaluation of speech technology applications, ensuring inclusivity and fairness.
- Conduct futuring and scenario planning for speech tech: Employ futuring and scenario planning methods specifically tailored to speech technology, enabling you to anticipate, discuss, and prepare for various future developments and challenges in the field.
- Apply problem-solving in tech design: Demonstrate the ability to creatively address challenges in technology design, particularly in integrating speech technology into diverse applications, through ideation, prototyping, and critical evaluation.

Credits info

TBA

Fee info

EUR 0: tba