Silence Speaks has developed AI-driven signature avatars for deaf individuals.
A new technology from the British startup Silence Speaks provides an AI-generated sign language avatar that offers deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals an accessible interpreter at any time.
More than 70 million people worldwide who are deaf or have hearing difficulties use sign language, but there is a sharp shortage of interpreters. Silence Speaks is a British startup that aims to bridge this gap through an AI-driven sign language avatar capable of translating text into sign language.
Communication issues can be devastating and isolate deaf individuals, especially in noisy environments with multiple conversations. In places like train stations, hospitals, classrooms, and busy offices, it often becomes impossible for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals to follow conversations. Even those using cochlear implants can only catch a few words from each sentence and may struggle with tone.
Developed by and for the deaf community, Silence Speaks accurately translates text into British Sign Language (BSL), used by over 150,000 people in the UK. The model was trained with datasets covering regional dialects, contextual language, and emotional tone to enhance an AI-generated avatar that not only translates directly but also conveys intention and emotion.
The CEO of Silence Speaks, Pavan Madduru, founded the company a little over three years ago, inspired by a personal experience with a deaf engineer friend. Together, Madduru noticed how the lack of support in sign language complicated everyday situations for his friend and decided to tackle this challenge. He recruited three full-stack engineers, all sign language users, to begin working on the translation technology.
In the early days, the team attempted to convert sign language to text, hoping to enable real-time translations between different sign languages. However, they realized that the diversity of sign languages, such as American Sign Language (ASL) and BSL, along with regional differences, complicated this goal. During testing, they found that the speed of signers varied significantly between cities.
By rethinking their approach, the team developed technology capable of translating text to BSL and ASL. The current version operates in the cloud, meaning it generates interpretation from the input text, although they are working towards achieving real-time translations on-device. Madduru estimates that this feature could take at least a year to be ready, as they seek to ensure high standards of accuracy. Real-time sign translation could provide deaf individuals with an interpreter in their pocket.
Silence Speaks is supported by Transport for London, the agency managing over 250 stations and all the subway lines in the British capital, which plans to implement the company's sign language avatar to make transport more accessible. Additionally, greeting card companies are using Silence Speaks’ technology to create interactive cards that allow recipients to receive signed video messages.
The system allows users to customize sign language avatars, offering the possibility to create realistic or cartoonish characters. For this article, a personal photograph was used to create an avatar, although the result may be peculiar.
Silence Speaks has been gaining momentum ahead of a new investment round, with Chloe Smith, former Secretary of State for Science, Innovation, and Technology, joining efforts as chair of its board. She emphasizes the importance of including those who use sign language to foster better communication between deaf and hearing communities. In the workplace, access to communication tools is crucial, as 85 percent of deaf professionals have faced workplace exclusion.
Education also urgently needs to improve accessibility, given that there are about 50,000 deaf children in the UK's education system, many of whom attend mainstream schools where resources are limited. Without adequate support, these children risk falling behind.
Other technologies are also emerging to serve the deaf and hard-of-hearing community. With the rise of smart glasses, various companies are exploring new ways to facilitate communication, and there is a growing interest in technologies that provide real-time captioning.
Authenticity is a core value for Silence Speaks, which seeks to involve deaf engineers and communities in designing intuitive solutions for users. This is vital, as the perception of genuineness is essential in developing this type of technology.
