The Tokyo Deaflympics are giving visitors a chance to use the latest digital devices that translate sound into vibrations and text, allowing them to enhance their viewing experience.
The games for top athletes with hearing impairments began in the Japanese capital on Saturday.
At Tokyo Budokan, the venue for judo, some of the spectators tested a necklace-type device that transmits auditory vibrations directly to the body.
The system uses sensors and microphones to pick up the sound of competitors being thrown on the mat, cheers, buzzers and other noises echoing throughout the arena.
The device is complemented with a text display facing the stands that explains the types of sounds that are causing the vibrations.
At the venue’s information center, spoken words are automatically converted into written text on a transparent screen.
The device can handle 31 languages. People who have difficulty talking can use a keyboard to communicate.
A deaf woman in her 60s, who used the neck-worn device, said she could only enjoy what she could see in the past, so she was pleasantly surprised to learn for the first time that sport venues are filled with many sounds.
The Deaflympics will run through November 26, with contests in 21 sports scheduled at venues in Tokyo and elsewhere.
AloJapan.com