Talking TV technology to bridge the disability divide

Philip Wong | Sep 01, 2009

Yo!... can the technology support slang?

There're less fortunate people in the world unable to enjoy the brilliant sights and sounds offered by the latest home A/V technologies. Fortunately, help is on the way in the form of a new "Talking TV" technology tailored for the visual and hearing impaired, dyslexic and elderly. Co-developed by the UK's Royal National Institute of Blind People and a consortium of companies, the world's first talking digital TV system offers enhanced information accessibility and ease of use via two complementary approaches.

Currently implemented in a settop box, the system delivers onscreen text-to-speech capability with multiple language support besides a customizable user interface. The latter includes high-contrast color schemes, adjustable font sizes and comprehensive help functions for improved legibility. More importantly, the software behind this new technology is said to be compatible with other consumer products such as televisions as well. Such disability-friendly devices can be expected to market later in the year according to the press release.

No availability or pricing details have been set as yet for the Talking TV device.

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