Big Leap Forward In Communication Technology For The Deaf

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It's being called a big leap forward in communication technology for the deaf and hard-of-hearing and the product roll-out happened right here in Rochester. Sorenson Communications, a company dedicated to connecting deaf people and hearing worlds, launched a new product at RIT's National Technical Institute for the Deaf.

It's called "N-Touch" for PC and "N-Touch" for Mobile. Sorenson Communications is a world leader in what's called "video relay services". It allows deaf and hard-of-hearing people to set up a video phone so they can use sign language and communicate with friends and family all over the world.

Now, that video connection can travel with you on a laptop computer and certain cell phones using the 3G, 4G or wifi networks.

Right now, "N-Touch" for Mobile is only available on the Android Evo. And "N-Touch" for PC only works with Windows.

But for people who rely on sign language to communicate, it's a major milestone.

"A deaf person in the past, if they left their home they wouldn't be able to communicate to a hearing person," said Pat Nola, CEO of Sorenson Communications. "But now they can leave and just like a hearing person talk on a telephone. Now a deaf person can use their cell phone to call up an interpreter, see an interpreter on their cell phone and communicate to a hearing person through their cell phone."


Source: http://www.whec.com