New features now live]Google Launches Live Transcribe and Sound Amplifier Applications to Enhance Android for the Hearing Impaired

Google's goal to make Android more accessible is obvious: it opened the I / O orientation speech last year with Morse code input on Gboard. In addition, Android Pie has introduced a range of new accessibility features, allowing users with reduced mobility to easily switch to nine common interactions on their phone. Today, the Android Accessibility Team has announced Live Transcribe and Sound Amplifier, two new apps aimed at significantly improving the quality of life of deaf and hard of hearing users. Applications are currently being tested on the Play Store and will be sent to all Pixel 3 users at the next update.

Live Transcribe

Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) has been around for some time, but has become more sophisticated over time through in-depth learning. These improvements have resulted in Live Transcribe, a new Google Cloud-enabled accessibility feature that allows hearing-impaired users to follow a real-time conversation around them. You can read more about this technology on the Google AI blog. The application was developed with the help of Gallaudet University, the only university in the world designed to meet the needs of deaf and hard of hearing students. To give us more insight, this video talks about the development of the application and its effects on the lives of users.

While the Live Transcribe page calls the app a closed beta and wants people to join a waiting list, we have found and been able to install it from the Play Store. You can also recover it from the APK Mirror: it should work on any device equipped with Android 5.0 or later.

Left: Users can track and type their own responses. Middle: The audio source is editable. Right: The size of the text is adjustable, just like the theme.

For an application supposed to be in beta, it works remarkably well. I had conversations over the phone and the app could capture most of what was said. Even if the transcript was missing a word or two, you could understand the essence of the conversation. The text size is adjustable and a text box allows you to type an answer and show other people in the room. If the conversation is interrupted for a while then resumes, the phone may vibrate to alert you – I will leave this option enabled when working with noise canceling headphones. You can change the source of the microphone, even if you wish, using a headset or a portable device. Did Google accidentally create a spy tool?

Sound amplifier

First mentioned in Google I / O 2018, Sound Amplifier works as a hearing aid, increasing the volume of conversations around you. In situations where there is a lot of ambient noise, the application can help you focus on the low sounds occurring near you, such as someone's voice. The level of amplification is adjustable using sliders and the feature can be enabled using the accessibility menu of your phone.

You can download Sound Amplifier from the Play Store or APK Mirror. You will need an Android Pie device and will only be able to use it with wired headphones (it's time to look for that USB-C dongle).