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Evaluating the Use of Mixed Reality Smart Glasses for Real-Time Captioning Display and Interpreting Services

Award Number: 90IFRE0083
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DISABILITY, INDEPENDENT LIVING, AND REHABILITATION RESEARCH
OPDIV: ACL
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: OTHER
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 09/01/2023
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 08/31/2026

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Evaluating the Use of Mixed Reality Smart Glasses for Real-Time Captioning Display and Interpreting Services - Deaf individuals continue to struggle with inconsistent accessibility to qualified sign language interpreters and captioners that are critical to equitable educational, employment and community opportunities around biomedical sciences and healthcare. To address this, three deaf researchers from the Rochester Institute of Technology and Vuzix are partnering to refine, incorporate, and pilot the use of smart glasses to meet the expectations of the Rehabilitation Act for participation in the community and employment. This goal will be achieved through tailored smart glasses that allow for deaf individual’s viewing of remote sign language interpreters and real-time captioners. Objectives include: (1) developing a smart glasses app that permits deaf individuals to choose between sign language interpreters or captioners anytime and anywhere; (2) conducting feasibility testing of smart glasses designed for deaf individuals in a higher education, professional development, training, and community participation settings; and (3) identifying best practices for video interpreting and real-time captioning with smart glasses. The project’s activities will comprise (1) four research studies; (2) three community advisory boards: deaf, interpreter and captioner; (3) dissemination; and (4) documentation of best practices. Expected outcomes include (1) a real-world assistive communication device utilizing smart glasses; (2) working accessible technology for deaf’s use; and (3) enhanced communication access between health/biomedical deaf signing and non-signing individual, regardless of line of sight, sustained attention limitation, executing activities limitation, or participation restriction. The envisioned product includes a real-time interpreting and captioning service app for smart glasses.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = $0 )
2025	2024	ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY	1 LOMB MEMORIAL DR	ROCHESTER	NY	14623	MONROE	USA	ACL National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research	01	2	10/8/2024	OTHER REVISION	$0
2025	2023	ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY	1 LOMB MEMORIAL DR	ROCHESTER	NY	14623	MONROE	USA	ACL National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research	01	2	10/8/2024	OTHER REVISION	$0
														Subtotal = $0

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $200,000 )
2024	2024	ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY	1 LOMB MEMORIAL DR	ROCHESTER	NY	14623	MONROE	USA	ACL National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research	00	2	6/5/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$200,000
2024	2023	ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY	1 LOMB MEMORIAL DR	ROCHESTER	NY	14623	MONROE	USA	ACL National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research	01	1	10/13/2023	OTHER REVISION	$0
2024	2023	ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY	1 LOMB MEMORIAL DR	ROCHESTER	NY	14623	MONROE	USA	ACL National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research	03	1	1/2/2024	OTHER REVISION	$0
2024	2023	ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY	1 LOMB MEMORIAL DR	ROCHESTER	NY	14623	MONROE	USA	ACL National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research	02	1	12/20/2023	OTHER REVISION	$0
2024	2023	ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY	1 LOMB MEMORIAL DR	ROCHESTER	NY	14623	MONROE	USA	ACL National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research	00	2	6/5/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$0
														Subtotal = $200,000

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $200,000 )
2023	2023	ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY	1 LOMB MEMORIAL DR	ROCHESTER	NY	14623	MONROE	USA	ACL National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research	00	1	8/25/2023	NEW	$200,000
														Subtotal = $200,000

Grand Total All Awards = $400,000

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Evaluating the Use of Mixed Reality Smart Glasses for Real-Time Captioning Display and Interpreting Services

Award Number: 90IFRE0083

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DISABILITY, INDEPENDENT LIVING, AND REHABILITATION RESEARCH

OPDIV: ACL

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: OTHER

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 09/01/2023

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 08/31/2026

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