Are you deaf or hearing impaired? Are you tired of having to wait for close captioned movies to come out well after initial release before you enjoy them? Well, now you don’t have to wait. Now at select locations across the country, you’ll have access to close-captioned glasses that allow you to see all the latest releases with everyone else. This advancement in technology is set to take over 6,000 screens across the United States by the end of the summer. Here we take a look at what these glasses are and why they’re beneficial.
How the Concept Began
Randy Smith had a dream for many years. Now, he is the chief administrative officer of Regal Cinemas, bringing his dream to life with new Sony Entertainment Access Glasses. He strove to create a technology that would enable hearing impaired individuals to see a new movie at the theater with the help of holographic technology, a sort of on-demand closed captioning system. This is the result of a partnership with Sony and Regal Cinemas that has undergone several years of testing, with introduction at many theaters throughout the country.
Limited Locations
While this technology is emerging as the next big thing in the hearing impaired industry, it’s only being released at about 6,000 screens for now. They will debut these new glasses to bring a groundbreaking technology to the masses, even though the initial testing phase is still happening. Based on positive response, more theaters and screens may be added to the offering depending on the level of interest. Will it attract hearing impaired people to the theaters? The outlook is good.
The Appeal Lies in its Ease of Use
The glasses are not clumsy or difficult to manage. Rather, they are fairly streamlined and fit over any glasses you may currently have. No matter your age, shape or size, you can wear Access Glasses, which mimic an oversized pair of glasses. There’s a twist, though: they are able to display captions in front of you that are clear and bright so you can easily read along with the film. Designed with your superior comfort in mind, you can sit back and enjoy the latest movies without feeling tired afterward.
Details of the Operation
These special glasses, easily adjustable for the best brightness, give you the maximum viewing pleasure thanks to advancements in holographic technology. Featuring a variety of benefits for the hearing impaired, it’s not difficult to configure the glasses to your liking. This customizable feature is the best part about the glasses. You may want to sit in the middle of the theater for the best results.
Once you start watching the movie, there’s lots going on behind the scenes that creates the closed captioning experience. Signals, sent to special sensors via a data transmitter to either side of the glasses, then interpret and display the captions in a clear and bright manner. The floating words are shown about 10 feet in front of your eyes, making for easy reading of subtitles. The hearing impaired community is slated to receive this new technology well.
