CRS4 TECHNOLOGY CATALOGUE

IPOACUSIA

Video Capture System for Italian Sign Language

An integrated platform for communication between deaf people and hearing individuals, particularly in institutional settings

Background

Accessibility is now a social and institutional priority, in line with national and European regulations (EU Directive 2019/882 and Law 104/1992) that promote the inclusion of people with disabilities.

In particular, people who are deaf or hard of hearing still face significant communication barriers when accessing essential services such as healthcare, education, and public administration, as well as in fully participating in social life.

In this context, information technologies for inclusion are evolving rapidly thanks to artificial intelligence, human-machine interaction, and user-centered design, transforming from assistive tools into intelligent, personalized, and integrated ecosystems.

What does the IPOACUSIA platform offer?

The IPOACUSIA integrated technology platform facilitates communication between deaf people and hearing interlocutors, particularly in institutional settings, using advanced technologies and a participatory approach with the goal of breaking down communication barriers, making services accessible, and increasing autonomy and social inclusion.

Specifically, the solution combines several technological modules:

automatic Italian Sign Language (LIS) recognition systems based on artificial intelligence and computer vision;
LIS ↔ text/voice machine translation tools;
a virtual avatar capable of reproducing content in LIS;
a real-time video streaming platform for remote interaction;
linguistic datasets dedicated to LIS, built with input from the deaf community.

The architecture leverages deep learning models and high-performance cloud infrastructure to ensure real-time processing.

The platform employs secure and scalable solutions to manage LIS videos and data, in compliance with privacy regulations.

The application has been improved through user testing (Living Lab).

Innovative features

Integration of AI and sign language: advanced use of neural networks for high-accuracy recognition and translation of LIS (not only in Italian)
Multimodal approach: combining video, text, voice, and avatars for inclusive communication
Participatory co-design: direct involvement of the Deaf community in the development and improvement of the system
Interoperability with public services: modular design geared toward use in public administration contexts
Cloud scalability: use of high-performance infrastructure and microservices technologies to support scalable real-time services

Potential users

people who are deaf or hard of hearing
public administration agencies (service counters, healthcare, social services)
accessibility specialists and Italian Sign Language (LIS) interpreters
companies and organizations that provide services to the public
educational and training institutions

Sectors impacted

Public Administration (e-government). Inclusive digitization of citizen services.
Healthcare and Digital Health. Improving doctor-patient communication and access to healthcare services.
Education and Training. Support for inclusive teaching and access to educational content.
Services and Customer Care. Accessibility in banking, insurance, utilities, and retail services.
ICT and Artificial Intelligence. Development of advanced software solutions based on artificial intelligence, video processing, and natural language processing

Economic and social value

opens up new market opportunities in the digital accessibility
sector
promotes the inclusive digitization of public services
reduces costs associated with traditional
intermediation (e.g., in-person interpreting)
reduces inequalities in access to services
increases the independence and quality of life of deaf people
promotes inclusion, participation, and active citizenship

Additional resources and information

Pagina ufficiale del Progetto – https://www.crs4.it/ipoacusia
Piattaforma Web per registrare video in LIS – https://ipoacusia.crs4.it/enduser/
Presentazione del Progetto in LIS – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doqkIow67DM

Status

Type of innovation:
incremental, modular

Product type:
software

Emerging
technologies
adopted:
Intelligenza artificiale (AI); Natural Language Processing (NLP); Tecnologie cloud e microservizi.

Stage of technological
development:
TRL 5-6

Limitations:
Web browsers only (no mobile apps)

Intellectual property
characteristics:
proprietary code

Other partners:
No

Keywords

Accessibilità
Pubblica Amministrazione
Ipoacusia
Web Services
Intelligenza Artificiale
LIS.

Contacts

Andrea Manchinu
– industrial collaborations
– pilot projects and demonstrators
– technology transfer (licensing)

For information:
valorisation@crs4.it

Date

Last update:
25/03/2026