‘First of its kind’ live caption glasses enter public test phase

New smart glasses designed to caption conversations in real-time have today opened up to public previews, with a group of pilot users testing the augmented reality (AR) software over a two-month trial period.

Using pre-existing glasses from the company Nreal, XRAI Glass converts live speech into text displayed on a screen, with the ability for the software to identify a person speaking.

Potential updates include translating languages and recognising tone, accents and pitch, as the company hopes to reach 70,000 people with the smart device by the end of next year.

While Google and the National Theatre have previously launched smart glasses, XRAI Glass claim their captioning product is the “first of its kind” – with the potential for it to also be used in education, policing and the hospitality sector.

Dan Scarfe, XRAI Glass CEO, described the launch of the public previews as a “momentous day” for his team.

He said: “We are so proud of the ability this innovative technology to enrich the lives of the deaf community so that they can maximise potential. Whether that means being able to have a conversation while continuing to make dinner, or keeping a conversation going while walking with a friend.

“The scale of the opportunity is huge.”

 

Nrai Air glasses are currently priced at £399.99 for non-EE customers, while those signed up to the mobile network can purchase a pair for an upfront price of £10 followed by monthly payments of £35 for 11 months.

Meanwhile, the XRAI Glass captioning software – which links to the person’s phone – will be free during the public preview, with a price set after this process is completed and based on user feedback.

Individuals who already wear glasses would have to remove these in order to use the tech, but The Limping Chicken understands new lenses can be fitted to the device to match the wearer’s existing prescription.

The mobile app is currently only compatible with select Android phones, but company plans to roll out availability on other mobile networks and devices over the coming months. They have also committed to donating a portion of profits from the software to deaf charities.

Steve Crump, founder and chair of DeafKidz International, said: “As a profoundly deaf person myself, I was blown away by this technology.

“When I tried on the glasses, I was astonished – real time subtitles that enable you to engage and participate as never before. I see XRAI Glass as a hugely positive force, and I can’t wait to work with the team to help bring this to life.”

Mark Atkinson, CEO of the Royal National Institute for Deaf people (RNID), added: “This is a great example of the positive difference innovative technology can make for people who are deaf or have hearing loss.

“At RNID we are excited about the potential for technology to transform the lives of our communities.

“XRAI glass is intuitive and simple to use and could be a powerful tool in ensuring people with hearing loss don’t feel excluded in social settings. We support and applaud this endeavour and are keen to play our part in connecting innovators with our diverse communities.”

More information about XRAI Glass and how to register for the public preview can be found on the product’s official website.

Photo: XRAI Glass.

By Liam O’Dell. Liam is an award-winning Deaf freelance journalist and campaigner from Bedfordshire. He can be found talking about disability, theatre, politics and more on Twitter and on his website.