For the first time on Kazakh television,
children with hearing and speech impairments will be able to watch their favorite
cartoons with sign language interpretation. A virtual 3D avatar, created using AI,
will assist with this translation. The initiative is being implemented by Jibek
Joly TV, part of the Kazakh President’s TV and Radio Complex along with the
Silk Way TV channel. One of its morning prime-time cartoons is now being
broadcast with sign language translation. The choice reflects the needs of the
audience – nearly 5,000 children in Kazakhstan have hearing impairments.
«In our country, the law requires sign
language interpretation for news broadcasts. There are not enough specialists
available, so currently, only the news is translated into sign language,
primarily aimed at adult viewers. That is why we decided to focus on creating
cartoons to benefit children with hearing impairments,» noted Yerkezhan
Kuntugan, Managing Director of the Jibek Joly/Silk Way TV Channel.
The project was developed by Kazakh
specialists who explained that neural network analyzes speech, converts it into
text, and then translates that text into gestures. This helps convey meaning
more clearly, especially in the Kazakh language.¤¤
«For me, the most important experts, as I
said, are the parents and teachers of children with hearing impairments. So, we
consult them – what do the children like? And they say, maybe they have favorite
cartoon characters, maybe a robot. We strive to adapt the content so that it is
both interesting and easier for the child to comprehend. Therefore, the
development process began with accessibility in mind,» said developer Nurzada
Amangeldy.
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