Aira Launches Innovative Service to Enhance Accessibility for Live Events

Blind and low vision event attendees can connect on-demand via app with professional visual interpreters

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES, July 16, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Aira, the leading visual interpreting service for the blind and low vision community, is today announcing the launch of Aira Access Events. The unique service provides professional visual interpreting tailored for events of any kind where organizers aim to expand accessibility.

Until today, organizers could only deploy similar services for the deaf and hard of hearing community by offering CART or in-person ASL interpreters. Aira is announcing the availability of this service at the Disability:IN Global Conference & Expo in Las Vegas, where it is offered to attendees during plenary sessions and at the hosting hotel.

When event organizers offer Aira, blind or low vision attendees can open the app and connect instantly with a live visual interpreter who will describe, help navigate, narrate, and read aloud. For large or small sessions, organizers can also offer a visual interpreter who streams live audio descriptions to all blind or low vision participants through the app.

The descriptions do not replace the primary speaker’s audio in the room or online, but instead describe slides, speaker gestures, body language, the stage, and other non-visual elements. Anyone at an event can also use Aira’s free Access AI feature to upload or take a photo and receive an instant AI-generated description, plus verify with a visual interpreter.

“Organizers seek solutions to deliver accessibility for in-person and online events so everybody is included and can participate. Providing accessibility can be easy, and Aira Access Events enables organizers to efficiently and securely add a broad layer of accessibility via professional visual interpreting,” said Troy Otillio, CEO of Aira. “While Aira is well known for navigation, the majority of interactions extend far beyond, including to live event description or online use cases. This service builds upon our decade of experience and the tens of millions of interactions Aira professional visual interpreters have delivered.”

The service is simple to offer, as Aira creates a digital perimeter around the location of the event, making it free to use for attendees within. Aira Access Events is secure, supporting both public and private use cases, flexible, and can be used for any kind of event to enhance accessibility, including conventions, conferences, trade shows, celebrations, festivals, and more. As well as supporting attendee independence at events, the service can facilitate accessibility throughout the entire process, such as with website registration, form completion, and navigation to and from the event.

While this marks the official launch of Aira Access Events, the service has been used with great success in 2024. Aira provided live visual interpreting for the total solar eclipse, the Kentucky Derby, and the White House press conference on Flag Day. At each of these events, Aira’s visual interpreters brought the event to life, in real-time, by providing vivid detail and descriptions.

About Aira
Aira was founded on the belief that access to information is a human right. In this spirit, the Aira app provides on-demand, remote visual interpreting for the blind and low vision community. People can download Aira and press a button, and their phone camera will stream a live video to a highly skilled visual interpreter. The Aira visual interpreter can assist by explaining the caller’s surroundings, describing, narrating, navigating, or reading. Aira visual interpreters draw on their extensive training and experience to assist with a vast range of daily tasks and enhance callers’ independence and efficiency.

Aira is offered by Aira Access Partners, including leading software companies, financial firms, airports, and major retailers. Aira’s technology has been covered by Time, Vogue, The New York Times, USA Today, NBC, and the LA Times. For more information, visit www.aira.io and follow on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube.

Hannah Griffin
Aira
hannah.griffin@aira.io
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Aira | Visual Interpreting on Demand