BY: MARIYA GUZOVA
Deaf-blind people around the world often find themselves trapped in a cycle of isolation. They are limited in how they are able to interact with the people around them. Many face the struggle of being cut off from the world their entire lives.
Deaf-blind people have a new way to communicate, thanks to a tactile alphabet spelled out on the palm of the hand, called Lorm. Words are spelled out, letter by letter, by touching different parts of the palm, and while it may take time, it is effective. It is used to communicate only with people who are there with them physically. Most people don’t know Lorm, so many deaf-blind people interact with a small number of other deaf-blind people, caretakers, or family members.
But these limitations could soon be lifted with a new glove designed by German developer Tom Bieling. The glove is knitted out of fabric pressure-sensors, allowing the transmission of tactile signals. This means two people are able to use Lorm to communicate across distances and over the internet. The simple yet innovative technology could drastically improve the independence of deaf-blind people while also increasing their social circles.
What’s more, the glove can convert tactile signals into digital text, allowing deaf-blind people to communicate freely with anyone, and for anyone to communicate with them. This not only opens up deaf-blind people’s social circles, but also allows them to pursue new academic and career endeavours. Very few schools and employers have the resources in place to assist deaf-blind people. The new glove could break several of those barriers.
The hyper-connectivity of our time brought on by social media, the digital revolution, and globalization, is not something that many deaf-blind people have really had to experience up to this point. But thanks to Lorm, a whole new world may be in the palm of their hands.
Image sources: design-research-lab.org