Grant: CCI Applied Research and Development Grants

Sheridan College’s Screen Industries Research and Training Centre (SIRT) is partnering with Transport Canada and Deaf AI on the proposed project to further develop a prototype sign-language avatar system for use within public transportation sectors, with an initial focus on its use within air travel environments. Over 5% of the world’s population – 430 million people - currently have disabling hearing loss, with projection of over 700 million people by 2050. The Accessible Canada Act, which came into force in 2019, is intended to support removal and prevention of barriers to accessibility including communications within transportation and other federal jurisdictions. But despite technological advancements and policy priorities, members of the Deaf community face significant navigation and communication challenges across all modes of public transportation. The objective of the project is to help address these barriers through further development of an innovative platform for real-time translation of text to sign language delivery (both American Sign Language and Langue des Signes Québécoise) by realistic animated sign language virtual humans within airport environments. An interdisciplinary research team experienced in creation of virtual humans will research and develop approaches to combining advanced computer graphics, motion capture technologies, procedural animation, and Machine Learning to further advance the existing prototype. Sign language interpreters and members of the Deaf community will be engaged throughout the project within both the development and assessment of the outcomes. The project will enable all three of the partners to seize new opportunities by applying the innovative research and technologies developed through the partnership. Transport Canada will further its accessibility mandate by facilitating development of a scalable solution that has the potential to advance national accessibility goals across Canada. Deaf AI will be provided with the basis for commercialization of an innovative new solution within Canada and abroad across a variety of modes of transportation. As a federally designated Technology Access Centre SIRT will also have the capacity to build on the results of the project through knowledge dissemination to other Canadian businesses and organizations committed to innovation within the research area.