A FREE smartphone app has launched in the UK giving deaf and hard of hearing people the freedom to have real time phone conversations.
From booking a table at a restaurant, to calling a plumber or talking to the local doctor, the new app – called ‘Pedius’ – uses voice recognition and speech synthesis technology.
Available on iPhone and Android devices, the app works by the user either speaking or typing a text message on their smartphone, which is then translated to speech in real time for the recipient of the call.
Their response is then converted back into text and displayed on the user’s phone.
The app was created by Italian entrepreneur Lorenzo Di Ciaccio in response to a story of a deaf man who was left stranded after his car broke down.
“Being able to make a simple phone call is something we often take for granted,” said Di Ciaccio, CEO at Pedius.
“There are over 70 million people in the world who have profound to severe hearing loss and are unable to use phones. A smartphone is something most people have, so Pedius is designed to help make everyday life easier by offering a more accessible way to communicate whenever they like over the phone.”
Unlike the textphone, Pedius does not require both users to have specific hardware and all communications and interactions are private.
The app can also be used by businesses and organisations to communicate with deaf members. Calls are cheaper than the average mobile phone call and users receive 20 free minutes to use each month.
Pedius launched in Italy last year in collaboration with the deaf community. It is also available in the US and France with plans to expand further into Europe.
