Running head: INCLUSIVE DEVICES FOR HEARING 1
Inclusive Devices for Hearing
Helen Gainey, Michelle Reid and Caroline Trombley
University of Massachusetts Lowell
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Abstract
This paper is about new and innovative devices that have been created, or are in the
process of being created, for the purpose of helping people who have hearing loss. These
devices follow the rules of inclusive design, outlined by the World Health Organization. The
paper starts by introducing the principles of inclusive design, and then goes on to individually
explain the devices that are being created. The paper then concludes that these devices are
constantly helping improve communication and functionality within the deaf community.
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Over five percent of the world's population has hearing loss. In the United States four out
of every 1,000 people are functionally deaf. There are many devices that aid in helping people
who have hearing loss. The most popular being hearing aids and cochlear implants. Many people
also communicate through sign language. However, these devices are not perfect and lack in
certain functions. There are still many technologies and devices being tested and developed in
order to aid the non-hearing community even further. It is important for these companies to make
sure that their products are of inclusive design. The World Health Organization outlined
principles of inclusive design. The first principle being inclusion, meaning everyone is entitled to
safety and dignity. The second principle of responsiveness is to account for what people say they
want and need. The next principle, flexibility, refers to the fact that everyone has their own needs
and that there is a wide range of disabilities to be aware and inclusive of. This is followed by the
principle of convenience, so people are not discriminated against. Accommodation is a principle
to enforce that all people of all ages, gender, mobility and ethnicity have similar experiences.
Another principle is to be welcoming, to make sure everyone feels comfortable and accepted.
This is followed by the realistic principle, which encourages realizing that one solution doesn’t
work for everyone. And finally, the last principle is making sure everything is understandable, so
everyone knows where they are and can locate their destination. There are many designs of
inclusive design that are put forth in the development of the following devices used to help
people with hearing loss.
MotionSavvy is a company that works on solving communication challenges between
businesses and deaf, or hard of hearing, customers. They have developed a new product, called
UNI. This is a tablet that has a hardware and software solution that allows for communication
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between the deaf and the hearing. The camera on the tablet monitors sign language and then
translates the signs into words. When a hearing person responds by speaki...
