High-tech glasses that project real-time conversations onto the lens are being trialled in Bristol by government employees with hearing difficulties. The pioneering eyewear uses augmented reality to allow users to engage directly in dialogue rather than relying on lip reading or a British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter.
The three-month pilot is taking place at MoD Abbey Wood, the Bristol-based headquarters of Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) – the procurement arm of the MoD.
The glasses cost £900 a pair and can also be configured to translate conversations in over 90 different languages. If successful, the scheme will be rolled out across the MoD and potentially other government departments.
Andy Start, DE&S chief executive said: “At DE&S we are committed to an inclusive working environment where everyone can thrive and reach their full potential. This pilot will determine if this technology can help staff do their job to the best of their ability.”
Under the £10,000 contract with Canada-based XRAI Glass, eight sets of glasses will be available to book as a priority by members of DE&S’s deaf and hearing loss community.
Catherine Wrigley, who works in helicopter safety governance, said having the subtitles displayed in her line of sight would help stop “the tennis match” in meetings as she tries to find who is speaking.
“Other available software for subtitles can be very inaccurate and state things like ‘having a pasty’ when in fact it’s ‘having capacity’,” she explained.
The pilot will look to gather feedback around how the glasses perform in different scenarios including one-on-one, groups and settings where there is significant background noise.
The pilot’s lead is Chris Chennell, a senior architect in the DE&S digital delivery team.
“As someone who does not struggle with hearing, this project has been an incredible learning experience for me and one that has become very important to me,” he said.
“The initial feedback has been really encouraging, and I’m very hopeful this will prove to be a really positive addition for our staff. The next three months will gather more feedback to help us determine the best way to assist our hearing-impaired colleagues, whether it’s through this technology or something else.”