Sometimes all the smart technology and screens can seem overwhelming and even distracting. However, technology has a lot of significant pros when it comes to helping the hard-of-hearing and deaf communities. Thanks to incredibly talented app developers, you can use mobile applications on your smartphone to help make conversations feel effortless.
Take a look at some of the hearing- and speech-assistance apps you can download today.
TapTap is all about alerting users to nearby sounds. The app causes your phone to vibrate and flash the screen to draw your attention to nearby sounds. If you find your hearing aids aren’t alerting you to sounds well enough or would just like an extra attention-getter, then TapTap might be for you.
The app can be downloaded for $2.99 on iTunes.
Braci is another sound-recognition platform that analyzes sounds throughout the surrounding environment and converts them into notifications you can see and feel.
You can get the Braci app for free on iTunes.
Pedus is a communication application that lets deaf and hard-of-hearing people make phone calls using speech-recognition and synthesis technologies. Voice-recognition software accurately translates what the person on the other end says and delivers it in an easy-to-read text format.
With Pedius, there’s no need for a third-party translator to relay communication thanks to the voice-recognition software—you get the privacy you deserve.
Best of all, it’s a free app!
Ava is unique in that it acts as a portable translator. A hard-of-hearing or deaf individual engaging another person in conversation just needs to hold the phone up to the person with whom they’re speaking, and the application translates the speech into text. Now you won’t have to communicate by passing notes or continually asking others to repeat themselves.
It’s not limited to one-on-one conversations, either. The app also works with group discussions. Watch Ava in action.
Ava offers both a free basic version that has some limitations or a paid, unlimited version.