XRAI Glass x Nreal AR Glasses –  A wearable caption device for the hearing impaired

Many of us take for granted our ability to communicate with each other through a shared language. In the UK, there are approximately 9 million people who are deaf or hard of hearing, yet it has been reported by the British Deaf Association that only 151,000 people know how to use sign language to communicate effectively, of which 87,000 are deaf themselves.

The ability to follow a conversation can be difficult for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. But what if you could just put on a pair of glasses and subtitles were displayed in real time, as the conversation was taking place? This is the promise made by a brand-new app that goes by the name XRAI Glass.

How does the XRAI Glass app work?

XRAI Glass works in conjunction with Nreal Air, a consumer-ready augmented reality (AR) glasses company, in order to subtitle conversations. Augmented reality is utilised by XRAI Glass in order to transcribe the spoken words into text, which is then displayed in front of the eyes of the wearer.

The smart glasses have to be tethered to a smart phone in order to work, and their primary purpose is to make it possible for those who are deaf or hard of hearing to participate in everyday discussions.

“We are so proud of the ability of this innovative technology to enrich the lives of people who are deaf and have hearing loss, so that they can maximize potential,” said Dan Scarfe, XRAI Glass’s CEO. “Whether that means being able to have a conversation while continuing to make dinner or keeping a conversation going while walking with a friend”.

The powerful voice recognition skills of the application are able to determine who is speaking and are currently being further developed to translate languages, voice tones, accents, and pitch.

Nreal Air Glasses

The Nreal Air AR glasses provide a digital experience that is truly immersive, regardless of where you are. Users are able to totally submerge themselves in the digital world through the use of AR, whether that be through streaming video, online gaming or the use of the XRAI application.

The glasses also come with an additional prescription frame that enables the user to insert their prescription lenses directly into the glasses themselves. This eliminates the need to wear your usual set of glasses beneath them, which is a total game changer!

The Nreal Air Glasses are available to purchase in the UK via EE for £399.99 or, as an EE customer, £10 then £35 per month for 11 months.

XRAI Glass x Nreal Air

Tasha Ghouri, the first deaf contestant to take part in ITV’s Love Island, tried the XRAI technology for herself in November last year, and was moved to tears by the results.

“I don’t know why I am crying. This is going to help so many people. I wish I had this growing up, it would have helped me so much.”

Ghouri referred to the glasses as “amazing” as she still has trouble keeping up with conversations as a result of her hearing loss. She is also unable to watch particular TV shows because subtitles are not available for them.

“Even with my cochlear implant, I struggle still in certain situations, for example at the cinema if there’s no subtitles, in group conversations with noisy backgrounds, with TV that’s not subtitled, I now can use these glasses & not miss out the fact that the text is in real-time as well is just insane. I got emotional because wish I had XRAI Glass growing up, it would have helped me massively but I know this is going to change many, many people’s lives that can’t even have access to a hearing aid or a cochlear implant”

Do you require closed captioning, subtitles or transcription for a project of your own? We’re here to help.

Here at Matinée Multilingual, we’ve been working in the translation industry for over 35 years, and work only with experienced in-country translation professionals. Whether you need an English set of subtitles translated into a range of other languages, or a voiceover script adapted for a global audience, we can help.

Our talented linguists work hard to maintain the integrity of your message, whilst also respecting the local culture and values so you can be confident that you’ll be engaging with your target audience in a respectable, authentic way.

Call us on +44 (0) 118 958 4934

Or email project@matinee.co.uk