Two-sense emergency call with sign language

Elfin Technology has developed a two-sense emergency call, which in addition to classic speech communication, also opens a visual communication channel.

The provider of smart solutions for lifts hopes to make existing lift systems more forward-looking, smarter and barrier-free in this way.

The two-sense emergency call has long since ceased to be just a vision of the future. In the USA, it has already been made mandatory for all lifts. There are also discussions in Europe for a statutory basis.

And this is how it works: once an emergency call has been triggered, the system initially establishes a voice connection to the emergency call centre. If this remains unanswered, the system switches to a text chat. Users can first select their language via a display and then chat freely or select predefined text blocks to communicate with the emergency call centre.

Sign language in the lift

This year, Elfin Technology will go a step further and integrate a digital sign language avatar in its two-sense emergency call, which supplements the telecommunications in the display with visual sign language communication. The avatar was developed in cooperation with a company specialised in research into and development of digital sign language.

In Germany, over 70 percent of the deaf are dependent on German sign language. Above all in emergency situations – for example, if a lift gets stuck – clear communication is decisive.

A sign language avatar on the emergency call display makes it possible for deaf users to receive information barrier-free. In terms of perspective, this approach is even to work bidirectionally by means of intelligent sensors, which recognise the sign language movements of the lift user and pass them on to the emergency call control centre.

How does AI sign language work?

The technology behind the sign language avatar is based on a multilevel, database-supported procedure. Thanks to modern sensor technology, the finest movements and emotional nuances of sign language are recorded and translated into digital models.

The AI-based software detects various sign language dialects and makes it possible to adjust the speed of the sign language video to the needs of the users. The vision is a real-time translation of text into sign language and vice versa for completely barrier-free communication.

More information: elfin.de