Balıkesir high school student develops software that translates speech into sign language

BALIKESİR

A high school student in the Edremit district of the northwestern province of Balıkesir has developed a software that translates speech into sign language by using Google’s “Speech to Text” open source codes.

The programmer, Kayra Enez Özenalp, said he decided to start the project after watching a disabled employee at his school having difficulties in communicating with teachers and students. 

“I will develop this software in two ways: It will also interpret sign language into sound to make communication on both sides very clear and easy,” Özenalp said.

Initially the program contains just 18 words, but more daily life sentences will be included in the near future, he said. 

The translation, which is in Turkish, will also be made available in English and German.

Özenalp said he would place the software without any commercials on Google Play.