Ep15 - Baybayin translator using machine learning

Behind The Science Podcast

Mr. Rodney Pino is an MS Graduate Fellow under the CIP program of the DOST-SEI, currently deployed at the Institute of Mathematics, UP Diliman. He earned his bachelor's degree from Cebu Technological University and completed his master's in applied mathematics at UP Diliman. Rodney's research focuses on optical character recognition (OCR) of the Filipino pre-colonial script, Baybayin, developing systems at various levels from character to block reading. His work on Baybayin OCR garnered significant media attention, including coverage in broadsheets, webpages, and national television, and he has also been invited to present his research at some cultural summits. He is currently working on a Baybayin OCR software that allows a user to translate Baybayin writings to Filipino Latin. Additionally, he plans to develop an OCR system that can automate Filipino writings to Baybayin, complementing the existing Baybayin to Filipino translation tool. Rodney hopes that these technological advancements will not only preserve the rich cultural heritage of the Philippines but also ensure that the Baybayin script continues to thrive in the digital age, making it accessible and comprehensible to a wider audience.

Article spotlight:

Pino R et al. 2021. Optical Character Recognition System for Baybayin Scripts Using Support Vector Machine. PeerJ Computer Science, 7:e360.

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