Create Publications “2025-06-30-bridging-the-gap-with-retrieval-augmented-generation-making-prosthetic-device-user-manuals-available-in-marginalised-languages”

Author: cb580

_publications/2025-06-30-bridging-the-gap-with-retrieval-augmented-generation-making-prosthetic-device-user-manuals-available-in-marginalised-languages.md

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+---
+layout: publication-single
+title: "Bridging the Gap with Retrieval-Augmented Generation:  Making Prosthetic
+  Device User Manuals Available in  Marginalised Languages "
+abstract: Millions of people in African countries face barriers to accessing
+  healthcare due to language and literacy gaps. This research tackles this
+  challenge by transforming complex medical documents—in this case, prosthetic
+  device user manuals—into accessible formats for underserved populations. This
+  case study in cross-cultural translation is particularly pertinent/relevant
+  for communities that receive donated prosthetic devices but may not receive
+  the accompanying user documentation. Or, if available online, may only be
+  available in formats (e.g., language and readability) that are inaccessible to
+  local populations (e.g., English-language, high resource settings/cultural
+  context). The approach is demonstrated using the widely spoken Pidgin dialect,
+  but our open-source framework has been designed to enable rapid and easy
+  extension to other languages/dialects. This work presents an AI powered
+  framework designed to process and translate complex medical documents, e.g.,
+  user manuals for prosthetic devices, into marginalised languages. The system
+  enables users—such as healthcare workers or patients—to upload
+  English-language medical equipment manuals, pose questions in their native
+  language, and receive accurate, localised answers in real time. Technically,
+  the system integrates a Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) pipeline for
+  processing and semantic understanding of the uploaded manuals. It then employs
+  advanced Natural Language Processing (NLP) models for generative question
+  answering and multilingual translation. Beyond simple translation, it ensures
+  accessibility to device instructions, treatment protocols, and safety
+  information, empowering patients and clinicians to make informed healthcare
+  decisions. This framework supports integrating additional languages, making it
+  adaptable to a wide range of global health challenges, including public health
+  campaigns and disaster relief, where accurate communication in native
+  languages can save lives. With far-reaching implications, this research serves
+  as an interim solution for health organisations/providers in such communities
+  and a call to action for policymakers and governments of the Global South to
+  reduce inequities in accessing critical medical information. Overall, it
+  offers a vision of healthcare that empowers marginalised communities, fosters
+  trust, and ensures no one is left behind due to language or literacy barriers.
+published: 2025-06-30
+authors:
+  internal_authors:
+    - Soumya Banerjee
+  external_authors:
+    - family: Harthikote Nagaraja
+      given: "Vikranth "
+    - family: Kenney
+      given: Laurence
+    - family: Dasgupta
+      given: " Abhishek "
+    - family: Davidson
+      given: Lesley
+    - family: Ogbonna
+      given: "Ikechukwu "
+details:
+  html: https://arxiv.org/abs/2506.23958
+  pdf: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2506.23958
+  container-title: Data Science Africa 2025 Workshop
+---