Computer scientists from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) in Germany are currently working on computer software that translates natural human language into machine readable language.

The new software aims to enable users with or without experience, to create their own computer applications using natural spoken words such as the English language.

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Programs or applications are basically user instructions such as a 'recipe' given to computers to follow and execute. Computer scientists and programmers understand how the computer works and so they can instruct it using code.

Computer scientists at the Institute developed the new software as an analysis tool that automatically places different user instructions in their proper places.

Researchers said the main problem is that users don't always describe processes in a correct order. To solve this problem, they developed the new software to let computers understand the chronological order of the user-generated commands.

This software makes computers smarter to be able to understand what we mean exactly.

"We want to get away from complicated rules for users -- this is what programming languages are -- towards smart computers that enter into a dialog with us," said Mathias Landhäußer, one of the scientists at the Institute for Program Structures and Data Organization of KIT.

"Let's have a look at the sentence 'Before the car starts, the garage door opens.' In our everyday language, this description is quite usual," Landhäußer added.

A computer normally follows instructions successively. It first retrieves the information 'the car starts', and then the information 'the garage door opens'. If these sentences were not in order, the car could hit the garage door.

The new software solves the problem by analyzing time-related words such as 'before' or 'after'. These signal words point out that an instruction such as 'the garage door opens' takes place 'before' the car starts.

The software acts as an interface language between users and programs. With the software, users will be able to open their apps as well as operate using spoken instructions.

Scientists have already successfully integrated such a software interface into an application that controls windows, lights and heating system of a house.

TagsKarlsruhe Institute of Technology, KIT, Institute for Program Structures and Data Organization, ITP, Computer Science, Programming, Machine Language, Machine Code