AI sign language recognition facilitates communication at Games for Persons with Disabilities

A sign language recognition system powered by artificial intelligence (AI) will offer improved convenience for participants in the upcoming 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities and the 9th National Special Olympic Games of China.

Developed by Voibook, a tech company based in south China's Guangzhou City, the recognition system has been integrated into a service application of the grand sport event, allowing individuals with hearing impairments to understand real-time commentary, ask for venue directions, and access remote sign language translation services with the touch of a button.

"Our technology provides barrier-free communication support for the participating athletes with hearing impairments. We will continue to optimize and update our algorithms, focusing on enhancing the accuracy and response speed of AI recognition," said Voibook founder Shi Chengchuan.

Shi himself is also hearing-impaired. He and his team have developed a sign language translation phone app, sign language translation devices, voice translation watches, and voice translation captioning systems, which are now being used in various public places such as government service centers, hospitals and schools.

"Technological advancements present a tremendous opportunity for people with disabilities. Take me for instance—after losing my hearing in my childhood, I could never have imagined that one day I would be able to communicate with others with virtually no barriers," said Shi.

AI sign language recognition facilitates communication at Games for Persons with Disabilities

AI sign language recognition facilitates communication at Games for Persons with Disabilities

AI sign language recognition facilitates communication at Games for Persons with Disabilities

Typhoon Noul made landfall in south China's Guangdong Province Sunday, bringing strong winds and heavy rain before weakening to a tropical storm and tracking northwest toward Jiangxi in the east and Hunan in central China.

The National Commission for Disaster Prevention, Reduction and Relief and the Ministry of Emergency Management, together with the National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration, on Sunday allocated 25,000 items of central disaster relief supplies to Guangdong, Jiangxi and Hunan, including folding beds, quilts and family emergency kits. With production and daily life in Guangdong severely disrupted by the storm and torrential rain, China's National Development and Reform Commission has allocated 100 million yuan (about 14.8 million U.S. dollars) in central disaster relief funds to support emergency rescue and recovery efforts.

Guangdong authorities raised the emergency response to Level II at 10:00 Sunday.

China allocates reliefs, funds to Guangdong, Jiangxi, Hunan for post-typhoon recovery