Hi-tech artwork turns the air blue by mishearing Hull accent

RUDE words have appeared on a giant art project in Hull because the computer system is reportedly unable to understand Yorkshire accents.

The “Speakers Corner” project, announced after Hull was made City of Culture 2017, includes a giant screen fitted on to the Humber estuary’s tidal barrier, which allows people to translate speech into messages projected across the city.

In order to prevent foul language making its way on to the screen, the public arts project, named “Look Up”, was programmed with an algorithm to detect any dubious wording.

But in recent days, locals have reported seeing a number of messages which have clearly bypassed the safeguards, including a number of sexual references such as “send nudes” and “ejaculation”. Commenting on the mishap, the project’s artist, Michael Pinsky, said: “This is a kind of extended speakers’ corner. Rather than just a small audience, people can have what they say read by half of Hull.

“This is cutting-edge stuff which has never been done before. I have always been interested in voice recognition

‘This is cutting-edge stuff. In time, the technology will learn the Hull accent and get better and better’

technology but it is only now I have been able to make it into a piece of artwork. In time, the technology will learn the Hull accent and get better and better.” Andrew Knight, the curator of the project, added: “There is voice recognition software which translates the spoken word into text. As time goes on the software will learn and get better.

“There is a long list of offensive words the software recognises and if spoken it will just come up blank.

“If people do say anything offensive it will only scroll through once and won’t be seen again so it isn’t like graffiti which can remain for a while. But we trust the people of Hull to use this as intended.”

In order to place a message on the screen, members of the public have to speak into a microphone which is attached to a steel lectern on the quayside of Humber Dock.

The data is then sent to a processing unit which transcribes the words into scrolling text which is projected across the tidal barrier. The project will remain open until New Year’s Eve.