Sogou Inc., an innovator in search, announced its launch of the world’s first AI sign language news anchor in Chinese at the 2021 Sohu Tech 5G & AI Conference held in Beijing.
Due to complicated and unique sign language systems as well as the high cost to deliver, there has long been lacking products and services for the 27 million hearing impaired in China to easily obtain high-quality information, news and entertainment services. Sogou has long been at the forefront of AI development and dedicated to offering products and services to better the lives of all. Named Xiao Cong, the world’s first AI sign language news anchor aims to solve pain points of the hearing impaired who experience great inconvenience in interaction with the rest of the world.
Wang Xiaochuan, Sogou CEO, said, ‘We are thrilled to bring the AI sign language news anchor to hearing-impaired viewers. And we hope to help them communicate better and get more engaged with the society through our technological innovations.’
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Xiao Cong is the latest upgrade and a breakthrough of Sogou Vocational Avatar, iterated from the transformative 3D AI news anchor. It stands out with life-like digital effects, highly comprehensible and widely accepted mannerism of presenting the sign language. Based on Sogou’s leading AI technologies such as 3D digital modelling, multi-modal recognition and synthesis, facial recognition and animation and transfer learning, Xiao Cong is able to intelligently imitate hand gestures, facial expressions, lip movements, and mannerism of the sign language system. In addition, with the integration of the China Common Sign Language Dictionary, Xiao Cong can immediately generate sign language broadcast video with an 85 per cent accuracy rate. Thus effectively help the hearing impaired to overcome language obstacles and achieve effective information transmission.
As a 3D digital avatar, Xiao Cong can work tirelessly and be applied in various settings including news broadcasting, public services, special education, etc, empowering the hearing impaired in all aspects and making it possible for them to enjoy the dividend of digital development.
Sogou will give full play to its advantages as an innovative technology company. It will not only strive to deliver products and services to benefit people’s livelihoods but also join hands with industry partners for moving towards a better future society.
