London’s National Theatre Helps Deaf People Watch Shows Using New Techniques

 Attendee Wei Rongjie wears a working prototype of his HoloSeer AR/VR all-in-one agumented reality and virtual reality headseat, Jan 6, 2016 at the CES 2016. Photo: AFP
Attendee Wei Rongjie wears a working prototype of his HoloSeer AR/VR all-in-one agumented reality and virtual reality headseat, Jan 6, 2016 at the CES 2016. Photo: AFP
TT
20

London’s National Theatre Helps Deaf People Watch Shows Using New Techniques

 Attendee Wei Rongjie wears a working prototype of his HoloSeer AR/VR all-in-one agumented reality and virtual reality headseat, Jan 6, 2016 at the CES 2016. Photo: AFP
Attendee Wei Rongjie wears a working prototype of his HoloSeer AR/VR all-in-one agumented reality and virtual reality headseat, Jan 6, 2016 at the CES 2016. Photo: AFP

To help people with hearing disabilities watch theatrical shows, London’s National theater began using the "augmented reality" technology. Epson has developed smart glasses to help people with deafness or hearing impairment to watch theatrical performances. The eyewear displays subtitles in their field of vision wherever they're sitting.

The CNET website quoted Jonathan Suffolk, the theater's technical director, saying: “the problem we're aiming to solve is the lack of choice and customer experience. It’s twofold.” He said, "The smart glass tech gives customers the chance to come anytime they want, matinee or evening, and sit anywhere they want in any size theater."

The trial will run for a year with the support of tech consultancy Accenture and is part of the National's wider vision of ensuring theater access for all. The always-on service will run in all three of the organization's theaters, starting with the Dorfman this month, followed shortly by the Olivier and the Lyttelton.

It will be supplemented by always-on audio description for visually impaired customers by April 2019.

The National Theatre's experiment marks yet another way augmented reality (AR) is beginning to infiltrate the everyday life.

Unlike virtual reality, in which a headset envelops a viewer in a computer-generated world, AR acts as an intermediary, showing digitally rendered images, think Pokemon Go critters or Snapchat filters.

In contrast with VR headsets, Epson's augmented reality smart glasses are light and discreet enough to be comfortable throughout a performance. Wearers have the option of changing the positioning, size, and color of the captions to suit their own preferences.



SDAIA Explores Generative AI’s Potential to Drive Industrial Innovation in Saudi Arabia

The sessions addressed global trends in adopting generative AI to boost industrial efficiency. SPA
The sessions addressed global trends in adopting generative AI to boost industrial efficiency. SPA
TT
20

SDAIA Explores Generative AI’s Potential to Drive Industrial Innovation in Saudi Arabia

The sessions addressed global trends in adopting generative AI to boost industrial efficiency. SPA
The sessions addressed global trends in adopting generative AI to boost industrial efficiency. SPA

The Saudi Data and AI Authority (SDAIA) has held a meeting in Riyadh to discuss opportunities to enhance industrial innovation in the Kingdom through generative artificial intelligence (AI).

The meeting brought together experts from the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, the National Industrial Development and Logistics Program (NIDLP), and representatives of leading local and international industrial companies.

The sessions addressed global trends in adopting generative AI to boost industrial efficiency, highlighted ongoing transformations in the sector, and examined related challenges.

The event also showcased key industrial applications of generative AI that have improved operational efficiency, innovation, and sustainability in supply chains and production systems.

Participants explored the future of smart manufacturing in the Kingdom through specialized sessions, reviewing use cases in digital factory transformation, advanced platform applications in resource and process management, and modern technology solutions across education, safety, energy, and supply chain management.