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Technology created by Chinese researchers promises to transform social inclusion by translating text and speech into sign language in real time. With smart glasses and virtual avatars, the innovation is already attracting interest from governments and industrial parks.
China's artificial intelligence sector continues to expand, driving economic growth and transforming entire industries. Against this backdrop of technological advancements, a group of researchers decided to turn their attention to the social impact of AI.
Among them is Su Jionglong, vice dean of the School of AI and Advanced Computing at Xian Jiaotong University-Liverpool, who studies ways to reduce discrimination, provide emotional support, and speed up medical diagnoses.
Alongside her students, Su created the startup Limitless Mind, responsible for developing a platform powered by intelligence artificial Able to translate written text into sign language and vice versa. The goal is to bridge communication gaps and promote the inclusion of people with hearing impairments.
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Smart glasses and avatars bring technology into everyday life
The team designed a lightweight, proprietary AI model that can run on mobile devices or be embedded in smart glasses.
In them, virtual avatars translate speech into sign language or display text in real time, facilitating interaction between deaf and hearing people.
Local governments and industrial parks have already expressed interest in the project and are discussing ways to make it commercially viable. According to Su, the goal goes beyond innovation: the idea is to create technologies with concrete social impact.
With this tool, hearing-impaired students could learn more efficiently, patients would have more clarity when communicating with doctors, and discrimination in the workplace would be reduced.
The team is also researching advanced assistive technologies, such as platforms capable of translating lip movements into text and brain-computer interfaces that transform brain waves into written language. These innovations could, in the future, aid in the control of autonomous vehicles and expand accessibility for people with disabilities.
The urgency of accessible solutions
The demand for these types of solutions is expected to grow. A study published in China Medical Journal in January predicts that by 2060, more than 240 million Chinese will have moderate or complete hearing loss — nearly double the number recorded in 2015.
Su says his background in mathematics, statistics, and engineering provides the foundation he needs to tackle the complex challenges of artificial intelligence, such as data analysis, pattern recognition, and modeling.
Big data accelerates advances in health and emotional support
One of China's competitive advantages in AI development is the availability of large, high-quality data sets, especially from hospitals, which frequently share medical information for research. This access accelerates the development of tools in areas such as healthcare and emotional support.
Su's team collaborates with Mind with Heart Robotics, a Shenzhen-based company that develops electronic pets and humanoid robots for psychological support.
These robots assist autistic children with emotional communication difficulties and, through machine learning, analyze facial expressions to classify emotional states in real time, enabling more effective responses from caregivers.
Su's research also extends to medical imaging. AI models trained on large databases can identify subtle symptoms, such as facial swelling or discoloration, that may indicate early-stage disease.
Combining technological innovation, big data, and a social focus, the team aims to transform artificial intelligence into a powerful tool for inclusion and well-being.
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