Creating a more accessible world for everyone

According to the World Federation of the Deaf, more than 72 million people around the world are deaf, and the World Health Organisation’s data of 450 million people (5% of the global population) live with some degree of hearing loss. It is projected that by 2050 over 900 million people (or one in every ten people) will have some degree of hearing loss. At this stage, there is no ‘one size fits all solution’ to accessibility.

With no singular solution viable, accessibility for under-represented communities is increasingly important to ensure day-to-day routines of life isn’t a barrier or a struggle.

The importance of accessibility

One of the complexities to solving this challenge is the differentiation between sign languages around the world. There are around 300-400 official sign languages and each sign language around the world has its own grammatical structure, syntax and jagon (including slang,  -isms and facial expression; deeply rooted in its own culture and history).

Finding the right people to correctly interpret oral communications goes far beyond finding someone who can translate into sign language(s). In order to create an inclusive culture around the deaf and hard of hearing communities, we need to take into consideration the cultural representation of communities, experts of each individual language, artists and translators. 

However, all of these vital necessities can only go so far to providing a global solution, before we reach a limit of scalability.

As we start to unravel the intricacies of the problem, there seems to be a solution that provides a viable outcome that can benefit communities around the world: Machine Learning and Digital Humans. While the notion is still new, it is quickly gaining traction in the industries.

Access to education

As technology advances, so does the need for intentionally accessible design that works. Studies highlight that education at a young age for deaf students is not equitable or attainable at age appropriate levels. 

Closer to home, this issue is just as prevalent. The majority of deaf children in NZ leave school with the average age (literacy) of eight years old. Compounding this, it is near impossible for deaf Māori to learn and access te ao Māori, with little to no solutions in place to teach and nurture Māori culture, traditions, and concepts. The CEO of Kara Technology, Arash Tayebi, believes that deaf children should have the opportunity to not only learn (by accessing the curriculum) in NZSL but thrive in their own culture(s) and be proud of their identity.

“Accessibility is one of the most basic rights. People who have the simple privilege of hearing, seeing etc… or “normal” people, often forget it is a privilege” says Arash Tayebi, CEO of Kara Technology.

It is universally understood that better access to education leads to better societal outcomes. As we (society) continue to navigate what accessibility for all looks like, we must first understand the complexities and challenges that come with providing such unique solutions.

Using AI to create accessibility to education

Co-Founder and CEO of Kara Technologies, Arash Tayebi was diagnosed with an inner ear disease four years ago that caused him to go deaf in one ear. It was then that he started learning about the barriers facing the deaf and hard of hearing communities. With his background in technology through University, he knew that he needed to create a technical solution. Arash soon founded a team that included two PhD students and an expert in Machine Learning to begin experimenting with the role that Digital Humans could play in providing global aid to the growing need of accessibility.

Kara Technologies has recently completed a pilot programme, funded by the New Zealand Sign Language Board, Ko Taku Reo Deaf Education New Zealand, and EHF Team Member Sharn Maree (voice)  to translate four children books into New Zealand Sign Language using Digital Human Avatars. The books are, We’re going on a Bear Hunt and traditional Maori story, The Seven Kites of Matariki. 

With support from the EHF Community, Kara Technologies was able to provide a solution to Deaf children (including Deaf Māori tamariki) and give access to the narrative that was otherwise only text based. 

Arash and the Kara Technologies team believe that accessibility matters; and it starts with education. They want to provide the Deaf community with not only a viable, but a scalable solution to communities around the world to educate and bring awareness to the obstacles facing accessibility in Deaf communities. 

Niki (the signing avatar) has been developed to increase accessibility in NZSL

While Niki (the signing avatar) has been developed to increase accessibility in NZSL, we have learnt that Niki can be used as a fast-response tool or complementary asset in the absence of interpreters. Kara Technology believes this is the first step in understanding what true accessibility looks like for the growing global obstacles facing Deaf communities. 

If you’re interested in checking out the translated books, or Niki the Digital Avatar, visit the Kara Technologies website.