According to Dr. Yi-Jing Lin (林宜敬), the CEO of L Labs, MyCT is more than just a software allowing the student to speak and listen to Chinese. Using a unique and award-winning technology, MyCT analyzes the student’s Chinese speech according to pronunciation, pitch, timing and emphasis, and pinpoints problems down to individual sounds. After the student speaks, she receives a score and specific feedback on how to improve.

MyCT is partly based on the voice-analyzing technology and Chinese teaching expertise provided by NTU. With the new software, the university wants to become "a world center for learning Chinese," said NTU electrical engineering professor Lee Lin-shan (李琳山), who oversaw the technological aspects of the software's design.

"It certainly won't replace teachers," Lee said, referring to the MyCT software and service. "But," Lee joked, "unlike teachers in the flesh, MyCT will never become impatient or angry, and it won't go on vacations."

L Labs and NTU also use the new MyCT service to provide an “online language exchange program.” The basic idea is to encourage students learning Chinese to interact with students learning English over the Internet. Students can improve their Chinese or English proficiency by leaving message, chatting, or running their own blogs. The English-learning students will come from the another software called “MyET – My English Tutor,” which was launched in 2003 and already have more than five hundred registered users in Taiwan, China, Korea, and Japan.

MyCT currently provides Chinese courses from National Taiwan University and National Taiwan Normal University. But L Labs is actively looking for other content providers to create more courses.

People interested in this service may download the free MyCT software at http://www.llabs.com.