Voice to text translation for the deaf

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erenshaw
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Voice to text translation for the deaf

#1

Post by erenshaw »

We are the deaf magnet for our stake, we average 3-4 members each week who rely on ASL interpreters. However in the past month both of our interpreters moved out of the area and the one sister missionary who signed completed her mission.


Does anyone know of a voice to txt program that can be used in both sacrament and 2nd and 3rd hour meetings that will identify multiple voices? All our of ASL members read English and have android tablets. We have looked at getting Dragon, but from what I have read it only picks up one user voice (which may be someone sitting in the foyer each week listening to the speakers and repeating to the program).

I was not sure if anyone knows of a new app or technology the church has for this situation that we are overlooking.

Thanks!
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sbradshaw
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Re: Voice to text translation for the deaf

#2

Post by sbradshaw »

Speech to text for something like a Sacrament talk would probably be unreliable. Maybe you can find a system where someone can type what is being said (a transcript) and it can be made available in real time at a web address or in an app? Someone could be called or assigned as the ward meeting transcriber.
Samuel Bradshaw • If you desire to serve God, you are called to the work.
russellhltn
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Re: Voice to text translation for the deaf

#3

Post by russellhltn »

sbradshaw wrote:Maybe you can find a system where someone can type what is being said (a transcript) and it can be made available in real time at a web address or in an app?
Not too many people can type that fast. There are stenographers, but those skills are probably as rare as ASL translators.

One idea might be to use Dragon dictate where one person simply repeats everything the sacrament speaker is saying. That way the software is only dealing with one voice - or at least a limited number of voices.

My only other suggestion is the call CHQ and see what kind of resources they suggest. Maybe if the need is known, they can route more ASL interpreters your way.

Ultimately, I don't think the best solution is technology. It would be for some of the members to learn ASL so the deaf can better integrate into the ward.
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erenshaw
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Re: Voice to text translation for the deaf

#4

Post by erenshaw »

Thank you for the conversation. We are located in Iowa so the next closet ASL to help is the one who just moved 90 minutes away and they are not in a situation to make that drive every Sunday. Ideally, yes it would be great to get another person in to sign but just with the smaller member population out here there is no one qualified and to get someone trained well enough to be able to sign on improvised talks takes years of practice. Someone recommended ASL missionaries but then again our population is so small that their resources are better served in larger areas.

Currently we are looking at Dragon a possibility and I think at least for the year or so it may be the best option, we just didn't know if we were overlooking a resource. Thanks again!
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Re: Voice to text translation for the deaf

#5

Post by russellhltn »

I wonder if a Skype session would work? Telecommuting for the ASL translator.

Even if the members are not good enough to translate a talk, I'd think some need to know some ASL just to socialize with the deaf.
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sbradshaw
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Re: Voice to text translation for the deaf

#6

Post by sbradshaw »

Maybe you can get some signglasses :)
http://news.byu.edu/archive14-may-signglasses.aspx
Samuel Bradshaw • If you desire to serve God, you are called to the work.
snation
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Re: Voice to text translation for the deaf

#7

Post by snation »

I know this post was from last year but I have to ask if anything was ever done to help find an interpreter? I think there is a great need to somehow help the Church members understand how viable it is to have this available to the deaf. Most deaf children are born in hearing families and usually attend church with their family's hearing ward. Ours was such the case, and we always struggled to find someone to help. Most of the time it would be no one, and if it did work out it would be for a short amount of time and then those people would move. Don't get me wrong, we are so grateful for the time these people gave to helping our daughter. I know this is not a matter of people not willing to help, I think it's more a lack of real understanding of what the deaf go through. Actually it's more the deaf children more than anything. Usually by the time they're adults they have found a deaf branch to attend. However there's still a need there as well for people who are in the phase of young adulthood age such as our daughter. She is 19 and is now in the deaf branch but there is no one there her age to find friends. She is grateful for the branch so she can now understand the lessons and strengthen her testimony but socially she has no way of really interacting with her peers since the YSA wards are all hearing and she can't understand what is being said, especially in the social scene. I know this is a tech forum so maybe this is the wrong place for this but I had to at least put my thoughts out there and see what we can do.
grammygin
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Re: Voice to text translation for the deaf

#8

Post by grammygin »

I am so grateful for the opportunity to address this issue! I am now totally deaf, it happenned a short time ago, within a few days. Have been extremely hard of hearing all my life, but to be plunged into nearly complete silence is akin to having both legs knocked out from under me. Actually its worse.
I've been a member of the church, fully active, for over 45 years....and struggled and prayed to be able to "hear" all aspects of the Gospel, was able to hold many callings, because of the patience and love of our branch members. And even now, one dear sister sits beside me in all the meetings and writes quickly brief phrases about what the speaker is saying. She is adept at summarizing. It is a life-saver! I feel so grateful to her! Feel a part of the lessons and talks. My husband is also very hard-of-hearing and sometimes just wants to stay home because he can't hear.
Is there any solution for us??We DID use the hearing devices provided by the church, and they helped for many years...but his hearing aids no longer work with the device. He wears double aids, as do I. But mine are useless now.
My son, Rob lives in Clinton, Utah, and is currently researching the internet to see if there is a solution. The feeling of isolation is so hurtful. One person said the solution was to learn sign language....well, I tried that many years ago, and just could not learn it, even with dear, patient, , loving sisters. Please forgive the length of this letter, but if there is a solution, could you please write back and give us some solutions?
One dear member of our branch Presidency interviewed me today for a calling. I was able to get him to understand that I wasn't hearing anything he was saying. Asked him if he could write it down. He reached for his lap-top...changed the text to very large, and began typing what he had tried to say to me. I nearly wept at the ease with which we communicated after that! Surely, surely, there must be a technological solution out there somewhere.
In our branch, there are many many others who are also hard-of-hearing, or slightly deaf, or struggling with age-related hearing problems. As I think about this world-wide across the church, there must be millions who would be helped if the answer was made available.
Thank you for "listening." I appreciate so much every talk, or message, or video that the church captions for us, and call down blessings upon the heads of those who do this.
And I sigh with lonliness and disappointment for every video or message that is not captioned.
Virginia Murphy
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lajackson
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Re: Voice to text translation for the deaf

#9

Post by lajackson »

grammygin wrote:And even now, one dear sister sits beside me in all the meetings and writes quickly brief phrases about what the speaker is saying. She is adept at summarizing. It is a life-saver! I feel so grateful to her!
The answers to these challenges are as different as the situations of each individual member. You are blessed in your branch to have a sister who so faithfully helps you.

Not too long ago, I visited a ward where those who could not hear sat on two rows near a brother who did exactly what the member of your branch presidency did today. He types as the speakers conduct and speak, and those around him read the words in large font on the laptop screen. When there are more than can gather around one laptop, he feeds to other laptops, or even to a television when needed.

I am amazed at the accuracy with which Google Voice turns my voice into text in emails, notes, and other documents. It is not perfect, and the original voice needs to be clear and accurate. But we are light years ahead of the Dragon demonstration my father showed me many years ago. Not having a need, I have not done the research to find out what is available today, but a program such as that, with the assistance of a good brother or sister who can make quick corrections, would seem to work wonders.

Closed captioning equipment has also become very accurate, and it has potential to be used outside of the broadcast industry. Your son will find other ideas on the Internet.

If you go to LDS.org and search on Disabilities you will find a lot of information. But the technical solution to your situation (and others) is going to be found by members of your branch council as they work together to meet the needs of your branch, including your individual needs.

I am sure if there were a nearly 100% solution for voice to text, we would have heard about it. But some methods are close. The best one for you may not be the best one for someone else, and any solution will require the skills of another member to help with the process.

You are blessed to belong to a caring branch. If there were a good solution, I am confident it would be posted here. Hopefully, some better ideas will appear here soon.
russellhltn
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Re: Voice to text translation for the deaf

#10

Post by russellhltn »

lajackson wrote:I am amazed at the accuracy with which Google Voice turns my voice into text in emails, notes, and other documents. It is not perfect, and the original voice needs to be clear and accurate.
Perhaps someone can figure out how to wire a hearing impaired receiver to Google Voice - that way the sound is "direct" and as clear as you can get it.
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