A new project could fill a significant gap in communication for the deaf and the deaf

Deaf and non-deaf people should be able to communicate seamlessly, which is what a new Lero device is aiming for.

Inclusion and diversity now being put under the spotlight, one of the biggest recent developments Years have been spent on improving communication and cooperation among the deaf and non-deaf.

To take a recent example, members of the astronomical community have spent a lot of time creating a multilingual dictionary However, there is still the problem that the vast majority of capable people do not know the language of the language. signs, resulting in the need for an interpreter for many occasions.

Now, a team of researchers from University College Dublin and the Lero Research Center, funded by the Science Foundation Ireland, revealed a prototype device that could make communication between deaf and non-deaf people a lot easier. faster.

The prototype self device is based on HoloLens, an augmented reality headset developed by Microsoft that collaborated with Lero to develop the project.

It works using the company's popular communication tool, Skype, as well as other tools such as LUIS.AI comprehension language, Azure cognitive services and Xbox depth camera technologies.

The Next Steps

When a non-deaf person wears headphones, an avatar will appear on the screen translating the person's sign language into language, but it can also be used by people deaf to translate the voice into Irish sign language.

Up to now, tests conducted with deaf people have shown promising results, Philip Power, a deaf law student at UCD, having stated, "My reaction when I used the prototype for the first time was "Wow! It could change my life and that of deaf people. "

Dr. Anthony Ventresque, who also runs the UCD Complex Software program, leads the Lero and UCD program.

Speaking of next steps in development, he said:" The next step is to make the realistic and useful prototype for the end user by incorporating the recognition and generation of facial expressions in the interpreter, which is an essential feature that is missing in the current offerings in this area.

We have developed an innovative solution for sensing emotions as part of another Lero Skype project. "