SPEAKER 2025
Deepu Benson
Assistant Professor, Manipal Institute of Technology
About Talk
Cboard in Malayalam: A Community-Driven Open Source Success Story in AAC
This talk presents the success story of an open source initiative that made a real difference in the community — the localization of Cboard, an Augmentative and Alternative Communication
(AAC) software, into Malayalam. Cboard is a free and open source communication tool designed to assist individuals with speech and language impairments by providing symbols and text-to-speech features. It empowers people with developmental conditions such as Down syndrome, autism, and cerebral palsy to communicate effectively.
Our volunteer team customized Cboard’s interface and communication boards for Malayalam speakers, making it more accessible to children and adults in Kerala. The project has been recognized widely, with an article on Cboard first published in Open Source For You (OSFY) in October 2024 and later republished in Electronics For You (EFY) in March 2025, both available through their respective portals.
TRACK: FOSS For EveryOne
6th Nov 2025 | HALL A | Time: 04:15-04:45
About Speaker
Dr. Deepu Benson is a dedicated researcher specializing in Graph Algorithms, Computational Complexity Theory, and Artificial Intelligence. He holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science and Engineering from IIT Palakkad and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Computational Complexity Theory at IIT Gandhinagar. He currently serves as an Assistant Professor (Senior Scale) at the Manipal Institute of Technology, Bengaluru. Dr. Deepu is also an avid science and technology communicator and has authored over 75 articles in various science and technology magazines. Beyond academia, he is an active social worker and a founding member of the Galilean Educational & Charitable Trust, Kannur, Kerala. The organization is committed to supporting children with neurodevelopmental challenges such as Down syndrome, autism, and cerebral palsy, as well as victims of Endosulfan poisoning.