Developing inclusive technology, promoting information equality, and preserving the cultural heritage of Taiwan Sign Language

Utilizing AI digital services to alleviate the shortage of sign language interpreters, assisting enterprises in enhancing their care for the hearing impaired, shaping a socially responsible brand image, and earning customer recognition.

Solutions

The purpose of the AI sign language weather anchor is to automatically convert spoken language text into sign language gestures, achieving seamless linguistic communication. First, the system uses a large language model (LLM) to translate spoken language text into sign language text. Then, the model estimates the skeletal movements of the hands and body to ensure the fluency and accuracy of the sign language gestures, presenting a natural and grammatically correct sign language expression. Finally, generative AI technology is used to convert skeletal movements into virtual humanoid sign language images, enabling the hearing impaired to see vivid sign language demonstrations in real time, significantly enhancing the convenience of weather information dissemination.

Technology Application

²  Weather Broadcast: The AI sign language virtual anchor can be used on weather channels to provide real-time weather information. Deaf individuals can understand daily weather changes through sign language.

²  Emergency Disaster Alert: The AI sign language virtual anchor provides real-time disaster information and instructions, enabling the hearing-impaired to promptly receive warnings about dangerous situations and the corresponding response measures to ensure their safety.

²  Transmission of Public Service Information: Government agencies can utilize AI virtual sign language anchors to convey public service information such as social welfare policies and health and safety guidelines, ensuring information equity for the hearing impaired.

Achievements

²  The Meteorological Sign Language Corpus, jointly established by ITRI and Public Television Service, not only preserves the cultural heritage of Taiwan Sign Language but also provides valuable resources for technological innovation.

²  The AI sign language weather presenter assists the hearing impaired in obtaining real-time weather information, enhancing information accessibility and promoting information equity, enabling the hearing impaired to equally enjoy weather services.

²  This technology enables individuals with hearing impairments to more conveniently obtain weather-related information, thereby enhancing their quality of life and sense of security.

Enabling the deaf community to break through invisible cultural barriers and enjoy an equal and friendly artistic environment

Through the integration of technology and performing arts, the diversity of cultural exhibition experiences can be enhanced, and the participation of different ethnic groups or cultures can be expanded

Solutions

To enhance the musical experience for hearing impaired/deaf individuals, music is converted into sound, tactile vibrations, and light signals. Utilizing a 5G Wi-Fi application system, a new generation of haptic vests has been developed. These vests feature nine brakes distributed across different parts of the body, allowing the wearer to perceive rich layers of rhythm and melodic vibrations.

Technology Application

²  Rapid Deployment: The sound-to-body conversion system can be quickly built, as it is possible to set up a sound receiving environment within 30 minutes, converting sound and body sensations. Then, the information can be transmitted to dozens of "empathic wearable devices" via 5G Wi-Fi.

²  Effective Haptic Frequency Division Conversion: This method reduces the complexity of the music and emphasizes vibrations with more distinct patterns. Vibrations generated from music analysis are allocated to nine vibrators, with an intervention mode available to perform frequency division operations on individual vibrators.

Achievements

²  In collaboration with the National Performing Arts Center – National Theater & Concert Hall, Taipei School for the Hearing Impaired, Love Young Holistic Care Association, National Association of the Deaf in the Republic of China (Taiwan), and groups including the hearing impaired/deaf and senior citizens, ITRI has organized activities such as the School for the Hearing Impaired Auditorium, Senior Citizen Venue 5G Empathy "Heart" Experience Course, World Sign Language Day "Deaf City Arts and Culture Festival," and the Taoyuan Equal Rights Press Conference. These events engaged approximately 2,620 participants.

Reducing medical waiting times and regional imbalances, addressing issues such as low birth rates, insufficient medical personnel, and inadequate accessibility to rural healthcare

Assisting the Ministry of Health and Welfare, promoting the transformation of the medical industry, and expanding cooperation and joint market development with Southeast Asian countries in the healthcare sector

Solutions

The Telemedicine Mobile Health Check Information Platform integrates various medical devices into one lightweight medical kit. Through plug-and-play compatibility, smart gateway data integration, rapid device pairing with automatic recording, and AI data analysis, it provides real-time support to frontline healthcare personnel. Additionally, it consolidates diverse portable diagnostic devices into one briefcase, enabling doctors to get outside hospitals and clinics and conduct regular examinations in remote areas such as mountainous regions and outlying islands, or at the homes of patients with limited mobility. Coupled with telemedicine cross-disciplinary consultation capabilities, this platform creates a comprehensive mobile telemedicine care solution that extends from hospitals into communities and from urban centers to rural areas.

Technology Application

²  Time Series Inspection Data Visualization: Automatically consolidates inspection data from different times into one case. By invoking various AI alerts, it ensures that both patients and subspecialty doctors have digital counterparts.

²  Smart Gateway to Connect Everything: Smart Gateway quickly connects and pairs with more than five major categories and 15 types of lightweight medical devices.

²  Patient-Centered Team-Based Consultations: Integrate with Linebot to quickly assemble/disband medical teams for care consultations based on individual patient cases.

Achievements

²  Implementing the "Multiple Hospitals/Centers in Various Countries under the New Southbound Policy" Cooperation: President Lai's visit to the Marshall Islands resulted in the establishment of a telemedicine center. The system, developed by AdvMeds Co., Ltd. and ITRI's "iCase Go and iMAS" program, was implemented at Majuro Hospital, showcasing the strength of medical diplomacy.

²  1st Healthy Ageing Tech Show - Top 10 Age-Friendly Innovative Technology Products of 2024 (President Lai personally attended to present the award); only two legal entities in Taiwan (ITRI/Taiwan Textile Research Institute) stood out from over 500 age-friendly exhibits.

²  Awarded the 2024 Innovative E-Health Solutions Award at the WITSA Global Innovation and Tech Excellence Awards

The total water volume having gone through guidance and improvement for wastewater recycling treatment was 30 million metric tons/year, equivalent to the water storage volume of two Agongdian Reservoirs.

Community complaints and environmental grievances concerning odor treatment have decreased by 30%

Feeding efficiency has increased by 19%, with an output value increase of NT$2.09 billion/year.

Solutions

This technology envisions "development of smart livestock facilities, fostering community-livestock coexistence." It employs integrated livestock facility engineering solutions to achieve precise environmental control, efficient wastewater treatment, and odor management, thereby improving the quality of the livestock facility environment. Simultaneously, the introduction of a biogas power generation feasibility tool is being promoted to advance resource recycling and green energy applications. This initiative aims to comprehensively enhance the efficiency of livestock housing management, supporting Taiwan's pig farming industry in achieving the largest-scale sustainable transformation in its history, in alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Technology Application

²  Establishing 4D computational modeling for environmentally controlled livestock facilities and water-saving raised bed technology. The technology has improved livestock efficiency, and realized intelligent management.

²  Using odor compound capture and analysis technology to establish odor mitigation strategies in livestock operations, improve air quality, and create a healthy and livable environment.

²  Implementing upstream pollution prevention and resource recycling to effectively reduce wastewater load, protect water resources, and decrease aquatic ecological pollution.

²  Designing an enhanced desulfurization via airflow-based systems incorporated in it, which helps to reduce carbon emissions and promotes waste resource utilization and renewable energy application.

Achievements

²  Water Conservation and Emission Reduction: Completed the installation of 1,233 water-saving raised-floor swine facilities at pig farms, achieving an annual water savings of 1.56 million metric tons and reducing wastewater treatment costs by NT$68.77 million/year.

²  Improvement in Feeding Efficiency: The feeding efficiency of the 1,223 environmentally controlled livestock houses increased by 19%, resulting in an additional annual output value of NT$2.09 billion.

²  Improving Water Resource Management: Provided guidance for 2,350 wastewater treatment projects, improved wastewater recycling treatment of 30 million metric tons/year, equivalent to the water storage volume of two Agongdian Reservoirs.