French startup RogerVoice has launched a Kickstarter Campaign for an Android app that could help people with hearing problems make phone calls.
RogerVoice serves as a VoIP app that can transcribe the voice of the person the user is talking to and pushes the results to the phone, according to TechCrunch. The person on the other end won't have to install the app, and they will be able to hear the user as if they were having a normal conversation on the phone.
The app also doesn't require a third-party to participate in calls.
RogerVoice says on its Kickstarter page that the app will help people who can't hear on the phone connect better with friends and family, as well as avoid missing out on opportunities like job offers and apartment lists. The company added that there are 70 million people around the world who can't use the phone because they have severe hearing loss.
The app promises the best voice recognition, is compatible with Bluetooth, and supports a wide range of devices, which includes smartphones, tablets, and desktop computers. It can also transcribe conversations in several languages, such as English, Spanish, Portuguese, Greek, German, French, Italian, and Japanese.
Olivier Jeannel, CEO of RogerVoice, said the app serves to help people as a form of m-enabling technology, Rude Baguette reported.
"No technology will replace human ability, but innovations like RogerVoice go beyond technology, they empower people, they liberate our potential. Accessibility benefits everyone," Jeannel said.
"My favorite citation is from Mary Pat Radabaugh, Director of IBM National Support Center for Persons with Disabilities ... 'For most people, technology makes things easier. For people with disabilities, technology makes things possible.'"
Using the app will require internet connection, which can be done with a cable, Wi-Fi network, or wireless data plan with enough bandwidth to make internet connection isn't interrupted, the startup's Kickstarter page reads.
RogerVoice aims to raise $20,000 for the app, and has already received $10,952 from 130 backers. The company plans to use the money to improve the app with new features, such as video calls, inbound-calls, and compatibility with iOS and Windows. There are 26 days left in the campaign.
