Jorhat, Dec. 2: It just got easier to type in a regional language on a computer keyboard.

The Society for Language Technology Development, a non-profit organisation, has come up trumps again with the development of a Unicode-based multilingual text editor named RodaliPad, which overcomes the obstacles of using a regional language on a computer.

RodaliPad is a fully Unicode-compatible stand-alone multilingual text editor, comprising Assamese, Mising, Tiwa, Bodo and Hindi languages.

Gunadeep Chetia, a member of the Centre for Computer Studies of Dibrugarh University, had earlier developed Rodali, a software for the Assamese language only, in 2012, with the help of his former student Angshuman Borah.

Chetia said different versions of Rodali were available for Windows, Linux and Android platforms but many users had demanded a version for popular MAC operating system (OS).

Considering the need of the hour, he planned to develop a new software, which would contain a few other languages in addition to Assamese and run on Windows, Linux, Unix as well as Mac OS. With the technical assistance from Angshuman Borah and support from other members, the new software called RodaliPad was released recently.

The other employees of Dibrugarh University who worked on RodaliPad along with Chetia were Bhaskarjyoti Sarma, Mridul Bordoloi, Raju Gohain and Abhijit Kalita, an employee of Neepco.

Chetia said the software helped in rapid typing of Assamese and Mising words, as it has an "intelligent word suggestion mechanism" for these two languages. "Users can easily switch between languages. Another important feature is that the same version can run on Windows, Linux, Unix and Mac OS. This platform independency has made RodaliPad unique and popular. We are planning to add more northeastern languages to RodaliPad," he added.

The USP of the software is that it takes into account four types of input for the computer. Chetia said the software enables pronunciation-based phonetic typing on the English QWERTY keyboard. For example, typing moi in English translated into the word in Assamese. "It is also seen in recent times that languages that have not been able to keep pace with modern technology are threatened with extinction. The ethnic languages of Assam, including Assamese, are also in a precarious position due to slow adoption of upgraded technology," he said.

The organisation was formed with the aim of overcoming the lack of coordination between people who were developing technology and those working in the language sector. Few agencies or institutions exist in the present to address these needs.

It is also seen that even those who possess expertise in languages suffer from a lack of awareness of the necessity of using technology to develop one's languages.

This, in a way, accounts for the lack of visibility of Assamese and the other vernacular languages when compared with global or even other Indian regional languages.

The software can be downloaded from the net for free. In 2014 Rodali had been recognised as the winner of the fifth eNorth East Award for digital innovation in the field of e-learning and education.

The vice-chancellor of Dibrugarh University, Alak Kumar Buragohain, said the university was proud of the accomplishment of the group.