Google Live Transcribe helps the deaf, since wearing a mask to protect against COVID-19 prevents them from reading lips.
Communication for the deaf and hard of hearing in a world of sound can be a difficult challenge at times, but there are always great solutions that help bridge the communication gap. Due to the coronavirus pandemic , everyone is now wearing masks, and this has made it quite difficult for those who communicate by reading lips.
Danny Hughes, a paramedic at South East Coast Ambulance Services in the United Kingdom, found he could use app to help patients what he was saying.
Advocates for people with hearing loss have been pushing for institutional uptake of similar apps for years, as well as other protective such as masks with a transparent cover so that the lips and expressions of the wearer can be seen.
"I've found that using this app, called Google Live Transcribe, and other voice-to-text transcription apps can be really, really beneficial in communicating with these patients. If you found it helpful, please share," Hughes wrote.
On Friday, the UK, who has been on the front lines of the fight against coronavirus, shared on Twitter his inventive solution for speaking to lip-reading patients.
"Some of our patients and service users rely on lip reading to communicate and wearing a mask makes that almost impossible," he said in a video posted on Twitter.
Another Twitter user asked in a comment whether Google Live Transcribe stores sensitive patient information that could be shared during private conversations. Hughes said he and other members of the ambulance service are in the process of reviewing this.
He also stressed that SEACS is conducting due diligence on whether it can widely deploy Google's Live Transcribe to its staff.
«We are in discussions with our Head of Service and Data Protection Officer to see if this app or an alternative solution is viable and safe for use across all our trust staff..»
Many commenters praised Google Live Transcribe's solution, coupled with the widespread adoption of transparent face masks. Hughes agreed that it's important to consider a wide variety of solutions for lip readers, while face masks are still necessary.
«"I'm excited to share the idea of Google's Live Transcribe and the potential this technology has to help these people communicate. It's not a perfect solution, but everyone's communication needs are different, so a one-size-fits-all approach doesn't fit all," Hughes said in a follow-up tweet.
