Vibe - With people with hearing impairment

Abstract

Hearing loss significantly impacts daily life, leading to communication difficulties, social isolation, and increased risk of accidents. This can cause frustration, anxiety, and depression. The use of sound indication devices improve the quality of life for individuals with hearing impairment by providing them with a means to detect sounds in their environment. We have developed Vibe, a device that alerts a user to specific sounds (a baby's cry, an alarm, a door knock, a vehicle horn, or a spoken name) in their environment. Our device uses EdgeML, a form of machine learning, to perform tasks locally on the device rather than relying on cloud-based services. This approach has the advantage of reduced latency and improved privacy. The EdgeML model was trained on a locally collected dataset, for better applicability to the Indian environment. Devices such as Vibe will help individuals with hearing impairment navigate their surroundings safely and confidently, leading to increased independence and improved mental health.