Hawking was created to enable deaf-blind people to communicate verbally with any person.
The application can perform Speech-to-Braille and Braille-to-Speech operations in Hebrew & English with appropriate accessibility indicators so that the conversation is well executed and continuous for both the speaker and the deaf-blind person.
This project is part of a final computer engineering project in Ben-gurion university Israel, in collaboration with the deaf-blind center in Israel.
This project was chosen to represent the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering on the day of presentation of the final projects, and was also awarded one of the "The audience's favorite projects".
Ben Gurion University in Israel Newsletter, Volume 120, July 2019 https://bgu.digitaler.co.il/BenGuryon120/6/
Ben Gurion University Website, Engineering Projects Conference 2019 https://in.bgu.ac.il/engn-projects/Pages/blind-deaf-comm.aspx
The increasing accessibility to today's smart technology enables the search for solutions for populations with different disabilities, such as deafness and blindness, to improve their lives. A deaf-blind person does not hear speech or see sign language, therefore they are excluded from every framework, cut off from an accessible means of communication with the environment.
The main purpose of this project is to develop a system that will enable verbal communication with the deaf-blind, thus relieving their loneliness and enhancing their independence. Today there is no technological solution available to this community, especially in Hebrew. Development of the system will emphasize accessibility to the Israeli community using the tools available to them and on meeting their daily needs.
The system consists of an application on Android device which is connected to a standard Braille keyboard. The application performs Speech-to-Braille and Braille-to-Speech operations accompanied with appropriate accessibility indicators so that the conversation is understandable and continuous for both the speaker and the deaf-blind person.
The system's features and interface support English & Hebrew, and the development process was done in collaboration with the Deaf-blind center in Israel - Beit David Institute and the deaf-blind community in Israel.
Initial tests were performed with the deaf-blind community and the feedback were very positive and used to improve the application. Future work will be focused on porting the app for iOS and continue the design and development of a new portable braille keyboard that combines the layout of a standard keyboard (Write) and a braille display bar (Read) that can enable deaf-blind people to communicate more naturally and effectively.
Keywords: deaf-blind, communication, application, Android, Braille, Braille-to-Speech, Speech-to-Braille, accessibility indicators, Beit David Institute
User Guide in English
User Guide in Hebrew
Programmer Guide in Hebrew
Note : this file contains parts that are censored, if you wish to have full access please contact us at hawkingbgu@gmail.com
Maor Assayag
Computer Engineer, Ben-gurion University, Israel
Refhael Shetrit
Computer Engineer, Ben-gurion University, Israel
Prof. Guterman Hugo
Head of laboratort for autonomous robotics BGU
Dr. Luzzatto Ariel
CTO at Melotec.lt & CEO at L&L Research
