James Emejo in Abuja
A Lagos-based social impact technology company, CDIAL AI, has launched the Indigenius Keyboard, a revolutionary multilingual computer keyboard powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI) that enables seamless communication in 180 African languages.
The keyboard was developed to address the growing need to support the diverse languages and dialects that make up Nigeria’s cultural heritage, particularly those that are indigenous, unstandardised and underrepresented which is critical especially for Africans to participate in the global ecosystem.
The Founder, CDIAL, Yinka Iyinolakan, said: “Indigenius empowers you to express yourself in Pidgin, Igbo, Hausa, Yoruba, English, and hundreds of other languages. This connects Nigeria to the global community, where everyone has a voice and can participate fully in the social and economic opportunities available.”
The keyboard has been designed with advanced artificial intelligence and diacritics that make it easy to switch between languages.
“With support for over 180 languages, the keyboard is the perfect tool for anyone looking to communicate in their native language, or to learn a new language, and also includes smart emojis, speech-to-text, and auto-translate features, making it ideal for Africans and organizations that communicate in multiple languages.
Iyinolakan said, “We are thrilled to launch Indigenius Keyboard and bring a new level of convenience and accessibility to multilingual typing in Nigeria. Nigeria is home to over 500 ethnic groups, with diverse languages, many indigenous languages are often marginalized and underrepresented in official communication channels.
“The Indigenius Keyboard can make a significant impact by providing a platform for Nigerians to communicate in their native languages, and we believe that the speech-enabled Indigenius Keyboard will empower students, teachers, policymakers and other Nigerians to learn, earn, trade and communicate more effectively in their native languages, and we look forward to seeing the impact it will have on language preservation and cultural diversity.”
The keyboard is available for pre-order through paystack, giving and backers can expect to receive their keyboards in July, he said.
The keyboard is compatible with all major operating systems and can be used on desktops, laptops, and mobile devices.
The hardware also includes a sleek and ergonomic design that comes in four colours (silver, black, white and blue) ensuring a comfortable and beautiful typing experience.
