Localising Manufacturing for More Affordable Assistive Devices for Sign Language Users and Non-verbal Individuals

本地化制造，为手语用户和非语言个体提供更实惠的辅助设备

• 批准号: 10058512
• 金额: $ 6.37万
• 依托单位: BRIGHTSIGN TECHNOLOGY LIMITED
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Grant for R&D
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2023 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=10058512
• 关键词: Localising; Manufacturing; More; Affordable; Assistive

Our research focuses on developing assistive technologies to contribute to the healthcare innovation industry. We work closely with special educational needs schools in the UK to develop communication technologies to help their students overcome every day challenges. The latest of which is a sensor-based data glove that can be used as a communication aid, all the features were developed based on a group of non-verbal students and their needs. The end result was a smart glove that uses advanced machine learning software, programmed to translate custom hand gestures to text and speech, in personalised voices and in any language.Observing a clear gap in the market and a high need for such technology, BrightSign was founded in 2017, a wearable technology start-up developing innovations that enable communication for individuals with non-verbal disabilities. The company has since been actively engaged with schools, to implement the technology and enable the inclusion of Deaf and children diagnosed with Autism and/or are on the spectrum. We also collaborate, on an ongoing bases, with speech clinics to provide communication means to the ageing population who cannot speak due to losing their hearing overtime or an onset of illness, and require custom gesture recognition.BrightSign gained recognition by IBM, MIT and AXA as a pioneering innovation in social care, digital healthcare and community impact. Our first product is BrightSign Glove, a smart glove wired with wearable sensors to recognise and translate custom hand gestures into speech in 40 languages. This can include but not limited to Sign Language which can be spoken out in more than 280 voices, so every user can use the voice that best matches their language, accent and gender .This project is dedicated to bringing the manufacturing of the core hardware technology behind the BrightSign glove into the UK, that being the wearable stretch sensors. This will serve to increase the quality and accuracy of the glove, reduce the cost, and allow us to expand into other countries. It will also make this technology accessible to a wider range of the non-verbal population, estimated at 230 million around the world, who needs it to experience greater independence in everyday communication and to be included at school, work or for socialising, positively impacting their quality of life.

我们的研究重点是开发辅助技术，为医疗保健创新行业做出贡献。我们与英国有特殊教育需要的学校密切合作，开发通信技术，帮助他们的学生克服日常挑战。其中最新的是一种基于传感器的数据手套，可以用作交流辅助工具，所有功能都是根据一群不会说话的学生和他们的需求开发的。最终的结果是一款智能手套，它使用了先进的机器学习软件，可以将定制的手势翻译成文本和语音，以个性化的声音和任何语言。考虑到市场的明显空白和对这种技术的高需求，BrightSign于2017年成立，这是一家可穿戴技术初创公司，致力于为非语言障碍人士提供沟通创新。此后，该公司一直积极与学校合作，实施这项技术，使聋哑人和被诊断为自闭症和/或患有自闭症的儿童能够融入其中。我们还与语言诊所持续合作，为由于听力丧失或疾病发作而无法说话的老年人提供沟通手段，并需要定制手势识别。BrightSign在社会关怀、数字医疗和社区影响方面的开创性创新获得了IBM、麻省理工学院和安盛的认可。我们的第一款产品是BrightSign手套，这是一款连接了可穿戴传感器的智能手套，可以识别定制手势，并将其翻译成40种语言的语音。这包括但不限于手语，手语可以有280多种声音，所以每个用户都可以使用最适合自己语言、口音和性别的声音。该项目致力于将BrightSign手套背后的核心硬件技术带入英国，即可穿戴拉伸传感器。这将有助于提高手套的质量和准确性，降低成本，并使我们能够扩展到其他国家。它还将使更广泛的非语言人群（全球估计有2.3亿人）能够使用这项技术，他们需要它在日常交流中获得更大的独立性，并在学校、工作或社交中发挥作用，从而对他们的生活质量产生积极影响。