How Tech Is Assisting Those With Hearing Impairments

Innovations in the UK are making communication and hearing more accessible for Deaf and impaired individuals. The SignGPT project, is one such example, and it is building tools to translate spoken language into realistic sign language videos and sign language into spoken language. This initiative, supported with £8.45 million in funding, involves researchers from Surrey, Oxford, UCL, and the Deaf community.

Around 70 million people worldwide use sign language as their primary form of communication. Unlike spoken languages, sign languages have unique grammar and structure developed over centuries. Translating between the two is a highly complex task.

This project plans to create the largest sign language dataset in the world and develop tools for daily use. Deaf researchers and community members are deeply involved in its development to ensure ethical and practical outcomes.

Professor Bencie Woll, a sign linguist in the project, emphasised the value of collaboration between Deaf and hearing researchers. Together, they aim to produce tools that can bridge communication gaps.

Mark Wheatley, from the Royal Association for Deaf People, pointed out that previous sign language technology often lacked cultural understanding. This project seeks to change that through genuine involvement of the Deaf community.

 

How Are Virtual Reality Games Helping Deaf Children?

 

Virtual reality games are being used to help profoundly deaf children with cochlear implants improve their ability to hear and understand speech. The BEARS project is one such effort, training children through engaging games to process sound more effectively.

In one game, players run a food stall and manage increasingly complex orders in noisy environments. This setup improves their ability to locate sounds and make sense of speech in challenging situations.

According to Lorenzo Picinali from Imperial College London, understanding the direction of a sound helps children make sense of speech. Other games in the project use sound cues and pitch variations to strengthen these skills further.

 

 

Cochlear implants, while life-changing, can be difficult to adjust to. Training through these games helps children adapt to the signals their brains receive, improving their overall experience with the implants.

Clinical trials involving hundreds of children are underway at institutions like UCL and Cambridge. The team hopes these methods will improve hearing for many children across the UK.

 

Who is Driving Accessibility In Tech?

 

David Butler, a Deaf entrepreneur, started Pennine Consultancy in 2019 to create technologies that remove barriers for people with disabilities. After losing his hearing in 2016, he dedicated himself to finding solutions for others.

With support from the University of Salford’s Centre for Digital Innovation, Butler developed a platform that uses facial emotion detection to aid communication. This technology helps users navigate conversations with greater confidence.

Butler believes that existing technology often overlooks accessibility. His work focuses on helping small businesses design products that are more inclusive, creating tools that empower individuals with impairments.

The Centre for Digital Innovation played a part in helping Butler refine his ideas and bring his products to life. Through collaboration and technical expertise, his vision has become a reality.

 

So, What Would This Mean Accessibility Wise?

 

Projects like SignGPT, BEARS, and Pennine Consultancy are opening doors for Deaf and impaired communities. With advanced communication tools or hearing solutions for children, this is contributing towards improving lives in tangible ways.

In the UK alone, approximately 16 million people live with a disability, and these initiatives are showing us how technology can create meaningful opportunities for inclusion. The work being done in the UK is leading the way for more accessible tools that can benefit people around the world.