Made in LuxembourgFree app brings speech-to-text to Luxembourgish speakers

The University of Luxembourg has released LuxASR, a new Speech-to-Text app designed specifically for the Luxembourgish language. The app is now available for free download on iOS and Android.

While speech-to-text technology is not new, robust systems for Luxembourgish have long been scarce.

This has changed in recent years. One notable option is “Sproochmaschinn”, developed by the Centre for the Luxembourgish Language (ZLS). Meanwhile, researchers at the University of Luxembourg’s Institute for Luxembourgish Language and Literature Studies introduced LuxASR.

A streamlined app for fast transcriptions

Though LuxASR’s web interface has been available for some time, this marks its debut as a mobile app. (For reference, “ASR” stands for Automatic Speech Recognition.)

According to the university’s Infolux website, the app priorities speed and simplicity, allowing users to convert speech to text with minimal steps. The team emphasises:

“Whether you’re recording a quick note on the go, transcribing an interview or video, or converting a voice memo into text – LuxASR is here to help.”

Key features

The app boasts an intuitive interface and efficient performance. However, like all speech recognition tools, its accuracy depends on recording quality, and occasional errors may occur. Users are advised to proofread transcriptions before finalising them.

That said, LuxASR offers a quick and convenient way to generate text from spoken Luxembourgish – and sharing the results is just as straightforward.

Here’s how the app works:

• Users can either record audio directly through their phone’s microphone…
• …or upload an existing audio file (or a video, in which case the app extracts the audio). Files can be shared directly from other apps (e.g., WhatsApp) into LuxASR.
• Once the audio is available, the app begins transcribing immediately.
• The resulting text can be exported to other apps with a single click (e.g., email, messaging apps, or note-taking tools).
• The University of Luxembourg emphasises that all audio is processed securely on servers located in Luxembourg. Recordings are not stored or shared with third parties.

The app, developed under the direction of Prof Dr Peter Gilles, is available for free download on the App Store and Google Play.