Design of a face-to-face multilingual communication system for a handheld device in the medical field

Abstract

In the medical field, a serious problem exists with regard to communication between hospital staff and foreign patients. For example, medical translators cannot provide support in cases in which round-the-clock support is required during hospitalization. We propose the use of a multilingual communication support system called the Petit Translator between people speaking different languages in the hospital setting. From the results of experiments performed in such a setting, we found the following: (1) by clicking the conversation scene, the interface can retrieve the parallel text more efficiently than the paper media, and (2) when a questioner appropriately limits the type of reply for a respondent, prompt conversation can occur. © 2011 Springer-Verlag.