SoundAlert - A Centralized System Capable of Alerting People Who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing Impaired of Critical Sounds in Their Environment

The project is intended to result in a comprehensive system that delivers natural warning and communication mechanisms for persons with hearing loss. The SoundAlert system offers a unique approach to enable persons who are deaf or hard of hearing to: (1) initiate and receive emergency communications; (2) receive alerts in the workplace or home environments on a single, pocket-sized device through innovative sound discrimination techniques able to identify specific sounds with accuracy; and (3) combine this functionality with supplementation or replacement of other alerting technologies for convenience on the same single platform. The system enables outbound and inbound communication with emergency services in response to such events as evacuation or rescue information when needed, thus alleviating a major concern of this population for their personal safety. Specific goals of Phase 2 research include: (1) enhancing and completing the SoundAlert sensors and application; (2) adding real-time voice-to-print capability to facilitate communication; (3) performing extended evaluation of the system to evaluate its utility in a range of activities in vocational and daily living scenarios; and (4) preparing a smooth transition into Phase 2 commercialization of the SoundAlert product. The functionalities enhance the user's sense of safety, security, and independence through: (1) bringing alerts of identified sound events to the user; (2) combining or replacing existing alerting systems on a single system on a single platform; and (3) implementing the delivery platform on a convenient and lightweight hand held device.