Four researchers and computer scientists have found a way to help nearly 10 million Deaf or hard-of-hearing, many elderly, individuals living in the U.S. Many of who have lost their hearing late in life and don’t know sign language, but speak fine.
The device, iseewhatyousay, is a special purpose device, the size of a USB stick, for the Deaf and hard of hearing. Using a combination of speech-to-text and Bluetooth technology, the team has created a device that can take voice input and turn that into text on the OLED screen of the iseewhatyousay device.
Alex Movitz, a 22-year-old computer scientist from Oxford, Miss., was approached by friend and California-native Mica Born about finding an easier way for Born’s father, who is hard-of-hearing, to communicate better. It was an immediate need, close to home, that created the first iseewhatyousay device and revolutionized communication in the Born home.
The technology works with an app on an Android telephone that is capable of converting spoken words into text, then transmitted via Bluetooth to the small, wearable device. The group hopes to expand to iPhones in the near future.
The goal is to create a device that is not only wearable, but usable in every day life. The company found inspiration for its name, Digital Army Devices, Inc., from the well-known Swiss Army Knife. The multi-use tool is an accessory that many carry everyday and consider essential. It has many functions, travels well, never gets in the way, and is practical. According to Movitz, that’s the hope for their devices as well.
In addition to Movitz and Born, the research and development team consists of Jibril Jaha, a Deaf biological scientist who has a passion for developing assistive technology for the Deaf and hard-of-hearing and currently lives in Iowa, and Mike Boyd, also of California, who has 25 years of experience with companies like Intel, Symantec, and Autodesk. Boyd has also established several start-up companies in the past.
However, to send this project to mass production and help millions of deaf and/or hard-of-hearing world wide, the Digital Army Devices, Inc. needs help funding this ambitious project. Movitz started a Kickstarter to raise $75,000 to fund the project.
To learn more about the project or to make a donation, visit https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1931856606/iseewhatyousay or contact Movtiz by emailing amovitz@bncpu.com.
The Digital Army Devices team is also able to be reached through Facebook at #DigitalArmyDevices, on Twitter at @icwhatyousay, on Google+ at +Digital Army Devices and on YouTube on the Digital Army Device Channel.
More information about the iseewhatyousay device can be found at https://iseewhatyousay.com.
Local Kickstarter Helps Hard-of-Hearing with New App, Device
