ACS(I) students bring subtitles to life with decoding glasses, Latest Singapore News

People with hearing impairments can communicate more easily with SilentGuide.

Smart glasses created by Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) students Aiden Lim and Karan Gopu Pillai can transcribe spoken words into subtitles.

The impressive innovation earned the Redbluegold team the top prize at the Solve for Tomorrow 2024 competition organized by Samsung Electronics Singapore.

Aidan and Karan won $7,000 in cash and $10,000 worth of Samsung products, giving the duo the resources to further develop their project and make a tangible impact.

Inspired by a desire to help low- and middle-income people with hearing loss overcome existing communication gaps and participate more meaningfully in society, they decided to develop a solution that is wearable, easy to use, and affordable.

SilentGuide, which can operate independently without an internet connection, has the potential to improve communication and social inclusion for up to 500,000 people with hearing loss in Singapore.

“Many people with hearing loss do not have access to affordable solutions that can help them bridge the communication gap,” Aidan said.

“SilentGuide aims to solve the communication challenges they face by helping them engage in social conversations more meaningfully.”

This year’s Decide Tomorrow competition received 75 entries from more than 240 high school students.

Second place was taken by the Calm Haven team from Cedar Girls’ High School. Calm Haven is a smartwatch app that helps teens with autism spectrum disorder overcome challenges with daily communication, emotional regulation, and dietary issues.