Real-time text transcription service on course to help deaf and elderly
>> A real-time text-transcribing service geared towards helping individuals with impaired hearing and the elderly is currently in its trial stages, says a research team from the National Electronics and Computer Technology Centre (Nectec).
The project aims to offer real-time subtitles at events and conferences in addition to sign-language broadcasting services to increase knowledge accessibility for the disabled community.
“The system aims to help both deaf individuals and people who are required to use hearing aids,” said Nattanun Thatphithakkul, a researcher who oversees the project.
The effort, financed by the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), is a joint operation between Nectec and the Universal Foundation for People with Disabilities.
Mr Nattanun said the project has been in trial and development for almost two years, although it has not yet established itself as an official service.
Deaf i ndividuals and t hose with impaired hearing can currently contact others using video calls operated by sign-language interpreters under the Thai Telecommunication Relay Service. The service has been in operation for five years.
About 160,000 sign-language video calls are made in Thailand each year.
Aanalada Chotimongkol, another researcher, said live-action subtitles at events and conferences will help people with hearing disabilities bridge the gap between sign l anguage and verbal conversation.
“The grammar used in spoken Thai and Thai sign language are very different. This makes it difficult for the deaf to gain reading skills at an early age,” she said.
“Deaf individuals who have gone to study abroad have told me that they actually learn faster once sign language is broadcasted simultaneously with subtitles.”
The real-time transcription system, currently in its testing process, uses an internet connection to transfer live transmissions of an event to both a sign-language interpretation centre and a separate text-transcribing centre.
Ms Aanalada said it takes an average of four to five seconds before subtitled text returns for broadcasting simultaneously with the sign language.
About four transcribers are working at the centre inside Thailand Science Park.
The system was tried out at this year’s Nectec Annual Conference & Exhibition. Mr Nattanun said the service experienced minor delays because a live Facebook stream of the event accumulated a large amount of bandwidth, slowing down the internet connection.
The system normally requires around a 5-megabyte internet connection to transmit both sign-language streaming and realtime subtitles without faltering.
Ms Aanalada said the system has yet to be adapted to other media because realtime transcription has not been introduced into television as a first platform. However, the NSTDA is in talks with the Thai Public Broadcasting Service about integrating the system into its televised programmes.