Converting Speech to Sign Language and Vice Versa A Student Team from UoB Invents a Pilot Project for the Deaf

Sakhir – University of Bahrain (Khadija Abdulsalam)
14 April 2022
Students from the University of Bahrain (UoB) were able to create a pilot project (Voicemate) based on finding a solution for the deaf, by making a translator to convert speech into sign language, and converting the user’s sign language into speech through artificial intelligence.
The student majoring in software engineering at the University’s College of Information Technology, Talha Ahmed, stated that his curiosity about new technologies led him to participate in various hackathons held at UoB and abroad. Where he and his team – consisting of him and: Mohammed Salim, Talha Mohammed from the College of Information Technology and Zainab Fayez from the College of Arts were able to transform ideas into prototypes and then into an integrated product, with the help of the Cloud Innovation Center and UoB’s Business Incubator Center.
It is worth mentioning that the team participated in the Amazon Cloud Computing Company Hackathon in 2019, with an idea that won the first prize, and later was converted into a prototype, and into an integrated product.
The student indicated that the team joined the Cloud Innovation Center at UoB, where they received a year of training on how to develop a prototype using artificial intelligence techniques. Also, he further stated that “Because the project is not related to the technical aspect only, we joined the Business Incubator Center at the University, where we received training sessions on how to convert an idea into a product, and then launch it in the market under the owners of startups and successful entrepreneurs.”
Moreover, student Ahmed expressed his joy with this experience, saying: “We have gained a wide and varied experience, as we got acquainted with how to properly set up a business, create its brand, conduct market research, prepare a presentation, how to give presentations, legal documentation, and ultimately get investors for the project”.
Confirming that the team is in the process of converting the prototype into an integrated product, and obtaining funding to launch the project soon.

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