Subtitle Function: A Key Application of Smart Glasses

Subtitles have become an "addon" for modern people. In noisy commutes, it's easy to get caught while daydreaming, and studying can be distracting. Combining listening and watching helps avoid unnecessary progress loss. However, for some, subtitles are not just an added benefit.

When the protagonist of 'Free Guy' puts on the glasses, he sees information that was previously undetectable, no longer just a passive NPC. In reality, there exists a type of smart glasses that can provide 'walking bullet screens.' While it may not be as sci-fi, it similarly opens the door to a world with a greater volume of information.

I can see what you’re saying
The significance of technology lies in the idea that when God closes one door, he opens a window. A video by a hearing-impaired blogger received 475,000 views on Instagram, resonating with many people in the hearing-impaired community.

From: ins@mengjiaoxu1998

She demonstrated her sign language while talking about her hearing impairment and the challenges she faces. To address these issues, she used a pair of glasses and showcased her experience with them.
These are subtitle glasses, which look quite similar to regular glasses, but allow her to 'see' the surrounding sounds. Those previously inaudible sounds transform into lines of subtitles.

According to the information in the video, the glasses she uses are called Leion hey, specifically designed for the hearing impaired. They can be used for entertainment, such as watching movies and videos, as well as for cross-language communication. Additionally, they are useful in face-to-face conversations, making it easier for hearing-impaired individuals to place orders at restaurants, shop in supermarkets, chat with salespeople, and navigate while driving...

Moreover, Leion hey smart glasses supports over a hundred languages, including English, German, French, Spanish, and Czech, enabling mutual translation while ensuring that the text remains readable under various screen and lighting conditions.

The existence of such technology signifies its value. Subtitles have long been a part of many people's lives, but that’s not enough; they should be available in a more convenient and intuitive form, accompanying those who need them the most.

Subtitles are a right, allowing us to view the world as if watching a movie.
According to the World Health Organization, approximately 466 million people worldwide suffer from hearing loss, with over 9 million experiencing severe deafness. Even with cochlear implants or hearing aids, hearing-impaired individuals still need to concentrate to understand what others are saying. Additionally, some phonetically similar words are difficult to distinguish through lip-reading alone. Under ideal conditions, only about 40% of spoken information in English can be captured through the speaker's lip movements. This is why a world with hearing impairments needs text as a supplement.

Long ago, efforts were made to address this issue. For instance, when sound films emerged after the silent film era, hearing-impaired audiences lost the opportunity to enjoy movies because they couldn’t hear the dialogue, and films lacked subtitles. As a result, subtitle technology continued to evolve.

For example, in 2012, Sony launched a CC subtitle glasses for some theaters. Unlike regular subtitles, CC subtitles not only include dialogue but also convey non-verbal information, such as background music, sound effects, and environmental sounds.

A line from Google’s promotional video for its translation AR glasses is particularly moving: 'I look directly into your eyes, and you seem to be looking directly into mine.' These real-time subtitle glasses, which are continuously being improved and hold promise for the future, reveal a beautiful possibility.

The best state of technology is when it has minimal presence. With efficiency and accuracy ensured, communication can return to a natural state—hands-free, without needing to look down at a phone or constantly focus on lips, allowing for face-to-face interaction and eye contact, just as it has been for thousands of years.