The Project

The opportunity of AI for Deaf mob

New and emerging capabilities in AI can bring significant benefit to Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Aboriginal people when appropriate interpreters are not available. The MobTranslate app is designed to provide artificial intelligence (AI)-powered, real-time translation support to Deaf mob First Nations people, primarily focused on legal context. It will facilitate better communication between users and lawyers, court staff, and other professionals involved in the legal process

Research & Design

This project addresses the issues of communication in contested spaces and Aboriginal Sign language as well as the design of Culture based AI. This will ensure a positive the impact in the creation of AI technology, including knowledge management systems, to support the needs and aspirations of Indigenous peoples. The practice-based research approach will create user-led expressions of design principles for information and communication technology systems that support Indigenous users, that will work in metropolitan, rural and remote settings. Working directly with Community and mainstream services, who would use the application, the project participants and partners will engage in full cycle iterations that grow from small successes to address as many challenges as possible. This non-linear logic model is referred to as a virtuous tornado. 

By implementing and evaluating early and often, risk is reduced, weak signals are detected, and the system is better able to address contextual change and the unexpected. The sessions, led by Aboriginal practitioners use an inclusive co-design approach created by the Inclusive Design Research Centre over its 26 years of operation), consisting of three dimensions:

1. 1. Recognize, value and design with the full range of diversity and variability. Support self-knowledge of personal difference. 

   2. Iteratively co-design with people that will be impacted by the design and have lived experience of the challenges to be addressed. Engage as broad a range of perspectives as possible in designing and refining an inclusive process. 

   3. Recognize that you are designing within a complex adaptive system and strive to achieve benefit for all. Rather than designing for the majority or the largest customer base, inclusive design strives to iteratively address the needs of individuals at the margins.

We will work with communities; 

• • • Expert advisory group 

    • Subject matter expertise from Aboriginal Deaf and Disability Networks 

    • National Indigenous Deaf Advisory group 

    • Letters of support from communities 

    • Consultation with the Aboriginal land council

    • Consultation with the NSW Dept of Justice 

    • Small cohorts to build trust and iterate 

    • Diverse and representative team

    • Identify and exclude secret language