Automatic segmentation of texts into units of meaning for reading assistance

TL;DR

This paper presents an AI-based method using Transfer Learning with Google BERT to automatically segment texts into meaningful units, aiding reading assistance and accessibility in digital books.

Contribution

It introduces a novel application of BERT for text segmentation to improve digital book accessibility at a moderate cost.

Findings

Effective automatic segmentation into units of meaning.

Facilitates creation of enriched accessible digital books.

Supports dyslexic reading assistance.

Abstract

The emergence of the digital book is a major step forward in providing access to reading, and therefore often to the common culture and the labour market. By allowing the enrichment of texts with cognitive crutches, EPub 3 compatible accessibility formats such as FROG have proven their effectiveness in alleviating but also reducing dyslexic disorders. In this paper, we show how Artificial Intelligence and particularly Transfer Learning with Google BERT can automate the division into units of meaning, and thus facilitate the creation of enriched digital books at a moderate cost.