By Cole Rummelhart
12/3/2016
One technological advancement that does benefits known as "Motionsavvy UNI"
allows the Deaf to communicate with the "hearing" and vice versa. This
technology was announced as "the world's first two-way communication software
for the Deaf" (Szczerba, 2015). The UNI, Szczerba says, "translates American
Sign Language (ASL) into speech." To insure the signs are recognized correctly
by the software, UNI used a special camera that tracks the location of the arms
and fingers to present graphic representation of the hands and giving positive
feed back to the signer. In addition to defined hand gestures, the UNI has the
option to upload signs to the internet and share signs with others via its
expandable dictionary and customizable signs added by the user. The UNI also
contains one of the leading pieces of voice recognition technology, Dragon
Nuance Pro, to accommodate the other side of the communication. The company
released this product in September, 2015.
Another piece of technology of aid to the Deaf consists of devices connected to
lights or vibration. This alerts the Deaf of a ringing doorbell or phone, a baby
crying, or an alarm going off (OLRC, 2016). One such device known as Flash
"notifies you via a bright light that flashes in a specific pattern, so you can
feel assured you will know when the telephone rings or someone calls at the
door, for example" (Phonic Ear A/S, 2015). This device uses the Puzzle system
alert transmitters to alert you of which Flash receives to notify you of an
event that requires your presence. "The puzzle alert system consists of a
minimum of one alert transmitter per alarm/ringtone and one alert device. This
allows you to configure the alarm system to specific notifications such as a
doorbell, telephone ringtone, baby monitor, call system, or smoke alarm signal.
Flash also can be configured to notify you via light or vibration.
With today's modern cell phone enthusiasm and app obsession it is no wonder the
Deaf have grown accustomed to the similar habits of the "hearing" and many apps
have been created just for the Deaf. One such app, known as Z5 Mobile, allows
the Deaf to communicate with anyone, hearing or Deaf using WiFi or 3G
connection, (ZVRS 2016). To translate for the "hearing", a video session is
created with an interpreter who verbally translates what is being signed.
Works Cited:
Ohio Literacy Resource Center(OLRC). (2016, Oct. 23)Technological Devices. OLRC.
Receved 2016, Nov. 16: <literacy.kent.edu/Oasis/deaf/devices.html>
Phonic Ear A/S.Flash visual alert device. Phonic Ear. Received 2016, Nov. 17: <www.phonicear.com/aid/assistive_listining_devices/flash.aspx>
Szczerba, J. Robert.(2015, Apr. 15) 4 Game-changing technologies for the Deaf
and Hard of Hearing. Received 2016, Nov. 16: <www.forbes.com/sites/robertszczerba/2015/04/21/4-game-changing-technologies-for-the-deaf-and-hard-of-hearing/#6f15931b3879>
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