In Augmented Reality News
November 22, 2022 – XRAI Glass, a provider of augmented reality (AR) software solutions, has recently announced the launch of its new technology that allows users who are deaf or suffer from hearing loss to read speech in real-time through closed captioning using a pair of AR smart glasses.
Following a successful pilot program earlier this year, the company recently updated interested customers that its software is now available on the Google Play Store for Android users to access. The company noted that whilst its software is currently ready for iOS, it is still waiting for approval from Apple, and as a result is not currently available to iPhone users.
The XRAI Glass software converts audio into a subtitled version of conversation, which then appears on the screen of an accompanying pair of AR glasses. The software’s voice recognition capabilities can identify who’s speaking, and is also capable of translating conversations, with translation transcription options available in nine languages, including English, Mandarin, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish, with more languages to follow, according to the company.
In order to utilize the XRAI Glass app, users need to own a pair of Nreal Air glasses, which tether to a mobile phone device. XRAI Glass formed a strategic partnership with Nreal in order to provide users who are hard of hearing with a suitable headworn device through which they can view conversations. Once paired with the XRAI Glass app, users can begin to experience their everyday lives with subtitles.
On top of real-time audio transcription, the XRAI Glass app also includes the following features:
Personal assistant: Using XRAI Glass, users can summon an AI-powered personal assistant when needed, asking questions like – “Hey XRAI, what’s the weather like in London today?” Answers will then automatically appear on the AR glasses display.
Conversation recall: Users can ask questions like – “Hey XRAI, what groceries was I asked to pick up yesterday?”
Translation: With translation available in multiple languages, XRAI Glass can help users transcribe and subtitle conversations in nine of the world’s most spoken languages.
The company also added in a previous announcement that its software will soon be able to detect different voice tones, accents, and variations in pitch.
Commenting on the launch, Dan Scarfe, XRAI Glass Founder & CEO, said: “We are thrilled to announce that XRAI Glass is now available worldwide. We believe that this innovative technology can enhance connections for millions of people with hearing loss around the world. We’ve worked closely with various partners, including DeafKidz International, and directly with deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals, to test this product and have listened and learned from them all to create something truly life-changing. We’ve been delighted to also witness how XRAI Glass can help more people than we’d first thought possible, including people with neurodiversity’s that make it harder to understand speech and sound, the possibilities of who we can help with this tech grows by the day,”
XRAI Glass offers its software through a tiered subscription model, with ‘Essentials,’ ‘Premium,’ and ‘Ultimate’ plans available to users. The Essentials plan is free and offers basic functionality that includes unlimited transcription in 9 languages, one day conversation history, and a basic screen duplicate mode.
The Premium plan costs GBP £19.99 per month and features unlimited transcription in 9 languages, 30 day conversation history, AR mode with 3D support and subtitle motion stabilization, 10 hours cloud-enhanced transcription with speaker ID, Translation into 9 languages, and UI Customization.
Finrally, there is the Ultimate plan, which costs GBP £49.99 a month and includes everything that the Premium plan includes, but with unlimited conversation history, unlimited cloud-enhanced transcription with speaker ID, plus a personal AI assistant and multiple AI subtitling engines.
US users can obtain the Nreal Air from Amazon for USD $379.00, whereas UK-based users can obtain a pair of Nreal Air glasses through mobile phone provider EE for GBP £340.99. XRAI Glass has also partnered with UK-based company Lensology to offer users with impaired vision the option to get prescription lenses for their Nreal Air glasses.
For more information on XRAI Glass and its real-time augmented reality closed captioning solutions, please visit the company’s website.
Image credit: XRAI Glass
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About the author
Sam Sprigg
Sam is the Founder and Managing Editor of Auganix. With a background in research and report writing, he has been covering XR industry news for the past seven years.
