Our Journey

The team at SoundView and our partners at the University of Plymouth and Real Immersive have been working hard these past few months developing our Inclusive Immersive application which uses smart glasses technology to increase access to big screen entertainment.  The idea is simple, display captions and British Sign Language in the smart glasses so only the person wearing them can see the accessibility features. It will increase choice and options for people who’re deaf, neuro-diverse or don’t speak English as their first language. Although the idea is simple, the development and deployment of the tech is not so. Thanks to a grant from Innovate UK’s Creative Catalyst we’ve be given the opportunity to turn our idea into reality. 

We have funding for six months with the aim of turning our “pre-totype” into a a fully functioning product ready to be used in big screen venues. Our first rollout will be in immersive domes, followed by cinemas and other cultural spaces like museums. 

A group of young people testing our Smart Glasses

Our Supporters

When developing a product user testing is crucial, so we have teamed up with our friends at The Newcastle Deaf Centre, Jesmond Park Academy, LifeScience Centre and Plymouth’s Market Hall to try out our accessible smart glasses package with those who will most benefit from it. Over the coming months we will be in a cycle of testing, gathering feedback and then using that feedback to improve the function of our prototype. By the spring of 2025 we hope to have tech working in Europe’s largest immersive dome, The Market Hall in Plymouth. 

Our friends are the Newcastle deaf centre trying out our smart glasses

Newcastle was our first port of call and the feedback is invaluable in helping us make what we do better. We’ll be returning later this year and early next year. Thanks so much to everyone that have tried out the application and shared their experience of using the accessibility aid. Our work will benefit hundreds of millions of Deaf, hearing impaired and neuro-diverse people globally. It spearheads our vision for an “Includiverse”, a digital ecosystem that will democratise content for some of the most disadvantaged people in the UK and beyond.

Our Thanks

The project has been made possible by Innovate UK, which  drives productivity and economic growth by supporting businesses to develop and realise the potential of new ideas and is part of UK Research & Innovation.  For more information contact https://www.ukri.org.

If you want to chat to us or find our more  about The Includiverse then visit. https://www.includiverse.co.uk