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

我们的研究重点是开发辅助技术，为医疗创新行业做出贡献。我们与英国的特殊教育需求学校密切合作，开发通信技术，帮助学生克服日常挑战。其中最新的是一种基于传感器的数据手套，可用作通信辅助，所有功能都是基于一组非语言学生及其需求开发的。最终的结果是一个智能手套，使用先进的机器学习软件，编程翻译自定义手势到文本和语音，在个性化的声音和任何语言。观察到一个明显的差距，在市场上对这种技术的高需求，Sign成立于2017年，一个可穿戴技术初创公司开发创新，使非语言障碍的个人沟通。自那以后，该公司一直积极与学校合作，实施该技术，并使聋人和被诊断患有自闭症和/或处于频谱上的儿童能够融入其中。我们还与语音诊所持续合作，为因听力丧失或疾病发作而无法说话的老年人提供沟通手段，并需要自定义手势识别。IBM、麻省理工学院和安盛（AXA）都认可ESPSign是社会关怀、数字医疗保健和社区影响方面的开创性创新。我们的第一款产品是智能手势手套，这是一款智能手套，配有可穿戴传感器，可以识别自定义手势并将其翻译成40种语言。这包括但不限于手语，它可以用280多种声音说出来，所以每个用户都可以使用最适合他们的语言，口音和性别的声音。这个项目致力于将EASIS手套背后的核心硬件技术的制造引入英国，这就是可穿戴的拉伸传感器。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口（估计全球有2.3亿人）能够使用这项技术，这些人需要在日常交流中体验更大的独立性，并被纳入学校，工作或社交活动，从而对他们的生活质量产生积极影响。

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.