Startup Leveraging AI to Improve Communication for the Deaf Community
Wired
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Contributed by: Drex DeFord
Summary
Silence Speaks, a British startup, is addressing the global shortage of sign language interpreters for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community by developing AI-powered avatars that translate text into British Sign Language (BSL). The technology not only conveys words but also captures regional dialects and emotional tones to enhance communication. Founded by Pavan Madduru, who drew inspiration from his interactions with a deaf friend, the company initially focused on real-time sign language translation but shifted to text-to-sign translation. Notably, they have partnered with Transport for London to improve accessibility by providing sign language videos for public announcements, with plans to expand into American Sign Language.
