InSignLanguage is a technology-driven company dedicated to making communication accessible by bridging the gap between spoken and sign languages. Their mission is to enable deaf and hard of hearing individuals to reach out to the hearing world in real time via a qualified British Sign Language Interpreter using technology.

Challenge

Public transport services can be difficult to use or even inaccessible to British Sign Language (BSL) users, such as people who are deaf or hard of hearing. Being unable to efficiently communicate with non-BSL users, or access audio updates containing essential travel information can cause misunderstandings and frustrations, making public transport inaccessible and challenging to use.

To address this, technology exists that allows the translation of English into BSL, for example, through the use of an AI avatar. This technology allows one-way communication between a hearing person and a deaf person, but doesn’t enable the deaf person to respond through sign language. BSL translation has historically been underfunded and remains an open research question, and the additional element of visual input makes this a computationally expensive task to address.

Approach

Through the Innovate UK BridgeAI programme, the STFC Hartree Centre partnered with InSignLanguage, making use of the BridgeAI Innovation Voucher. This provided £15,000 worth of technical support, offering valuable insights into the development of this technology.

Through the research and expertise of the STFC Hartree Centre AI team evaluated and outlined the requirements of such a technology, giving InSignLanguage an understanding into what the requirements of this undertaking would be. To demonstrate how this technology could work, they then created a proof-of-concept. An AI model was trained using a simple labelled hand gesture data training set, and was able to classify the gestures successfully. This demonstrates the capability for further advancement of this technology, as we were able to successfully interpret basic signs from this early development stage.

Benefits

The development of proof-of-concepts for cutting-edge AI-powered translation tools could potentially transform accessibility for the UK’s public transport system. This breakthrough in BSL-to-English translation could bridge critical communication gaps, fostering a more inclusive society. This research is pushing the boundaries of AI’s role in accessibility, demonstrating its potential to solve real-world challenges. InSignLanguage is committed to advancing this innovation into a commercialised tool that can seamlessly integrate across transport networks and potentially other industries, empowering deaf individuals to navigate public spaces more easily.

At InSignLanguage we provide accessibility that changes lives. Our collaboration with the Hartree Centre through the Innovate UK BridgeAI programme marks an important step toward breaking down communication barriers for the deaf community

– John Hood, CIO, InSignLanguage

At a glance

• Successful proof-of-concept created for sign language-to-English translation
• Potential for increased accessibility for deaf individuals across further applications
• Demonstration of the potential of AI-driven accessibility technology
• Developing research into the use of AI for communication for the deaf community

BridgeAI

Innovate UK BridgeAI empowers UK businesses in high-growth sectors, driving productivity and economic growth through the adoption of Artificial Intelligence. We bridge the gap between developers and end-users, fostering user-driven AI technologies.

With a focus on ethics, transparency, and data privacy, we aim to build trust and confidence in the development of AI solutions. Strengthening AI leadership, supporting workforces, and promoting responsible innovation, BridgeAI shapes a collaborative and AI-enabled future.

BridgeAI is an Innovate UK funded programme, delivered by a consortium including Innovate UK, Digital Catapult, The Alan Turing Institute, STFC Hartree Centre and BSI.