Madrid Video Interpretation Project in Language of Signs "on-line".
The Regional Consortium of Madrid Transports (CRTM) has carried out a new project targeted at the deaf and dumb persons who use the language of signs. The project is called Video Interpretation Project in Language of signs”on line”.
The aim of this new service is to support these persons in their daily affairs and bring them accurate information when they come on the premises of the Regional Consortium of Madrid Transports to resolve whatever incidence related to public transport.
The communication with both the assistant at the desk and those who attend at the remote translating office is bidirectional and in real time. The system has the Information Technology (IT) necessary elements, screens, webcams, earphones, microphones and algorithms of transmission needed. The result is as if it were a person translator at the desk, ready to be consulted.
Click on the picture to enlarge the diagram
There are not time restrictions, because of the characteristics of the
service. It can be used any time during the public opening hours.
Unlike other personalized services, this one needs no before-hand
warning, and consistently it will suffice the person to turn up
directly at the information desk of the Consortium of Transports.
By these means a complete integration of these persons is reached
as they can solve their own problems like any other user, avoiding
their discrimination.
Also it is important to emphasize that the confidentiality of the conversations are guaranteed thanks to the encrypting system incorporated in the transmissions.
The principal technical advantages of the system are:
- Real time communication;
- Non stop visualization and interplay without any jumps or breaks in the image;
- Minimal requirements of IT equipment and Operating System. Only a standard ADSL is needed whose speed does not have to be the highest;
- Fully guaranteed confidentiality in the conversations;
- The person who attends at the office desk gets confidence in the information given by means of the system.
And, from the personal and social point of view, the system brings the following positive aspects:
- It has the benefits of a social inclusive service;
- The deaf and mute persons feel they have level access to information just as any given passenger;
- Integration of this social group is achieved with universal accessibility criteria;
- There are no limits to include new questions arisen by the new information given in the process;
- Positive feeling of the persons who benefited from this service, they value the technologically well-laid innovation and the increase of advantages, brought to them.
The experiment has been conducted without any communication campaign however over 200 persons were able to test it during the four month the experience lasted including non-Spanish speakers as the system is tailored to international sign language. The software developed by Visualsil has been carefully adapted to CRTM’s needs.
One of the key aspects of the Video Interpretation Project in Language of Signs "on-line" is that it classifies among the soft measures activities and therefore doesn’t require extensive infrastructure investment.
For more: www.crtm.es
Contact person: Javier Chamorro