YouTube adds automatic captions for deaf viewers

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 21 Nov 2009 7:48 User comments (3)

Google has announced that they have begun adding automatic captions to videos available via YouTube, giving deaf viewers a much needed service.

Ken Harrenstien, a deaf software engineer who works for Google, is the man behind the machine-generated captions, although they will only appear on 13 channels at launch.

"The majority of user-generated video content online is still inaccessible to people like me," Harrenstien said via the official Google Blog.

Harrenstien says the system, which combines automatic speech recognition with YouTube's current caption system, is not perfect, but that it will "continue to improve with time".

Additionally, users can upload a transcript of their video and Google auto-timing algorithms will match the text to the words on screen as they are spoken.

<Lady Gaga earned $167 from 1 million plays via Spotify >Gameloft moving development from Android platform

3 user comments

121.11.2009 20:33

ZippyDSM

Send private message to this user

AfterDawn Addict

Then when the media mafia can not get fees for showing scripts they will bomb the place with take down notices...

221.11.2009 22:46

blueboy09

Send private message to this user

Senior Member

Only 13 channels for deaf people. How about the people who can't hear worth a damn like me. I mean that's gotta count for something (sarcasm) - BLUEBOY

327.11.2009 10:24

FredBun

Send private message to this user

Senior Member

Sad, two responces as of now lol, It's understandable, it's been that way all of my kid's lifes, as they are both deaf, until it affects you or your's nobody gives a crap, just like I did before my first deaf child was born. First it hit me like a ton of bricks but time heals all.

Than the ugly part, and this was just one of them, they can't watch TV, finally about 25 years ago we were able to buy a little box that cost us 300 smackers just to be able to watch Closed Captions, and beleive me we didn't complain, I would have gotten a loan if it would have cost thousands, having CC on TV opened a whole new world to my kids, now this, it's great news, as you know my kids can never veiw any video content on the PC screen because they can't hear it, they can never use a phone for communication, as the PC, web, and communicators became a lifesaver, I communicate with my kids more with my PC and thier communicators more than ever as I don't sign well, plus the fact keeping in touch with them easily as they are away from home.

This is great news, I hope many will follow.

Comments have been disabled for this article.

	Netflix buys HBO and Warner Bros studios (05 Dec 2025 8:04) Netflix has won the bidding competition for media giant Warner Bros and will acquire HBO as well as the Warner Bros film studios.
	Massive Android 0-day vulnerability found - here's what you should do immediately (08 Nov 2025 5:35) A very serious security flaw has been found in the Android operating system, allowing malicious code to be executed on a phone or tablet.
	Review: Roborock Saros Z70 - robot vacuum with an arm (20 Oct 2025 6:13) In out in-depth review of Roborock Saros Z70 we put the robot vacuum through a 3 month test period, where we observed its work in normal home. The sci-fi -like arm of Z70 was a little bit disappointing, due its limited functionality.
	End of an era: TiVo stops making DVRs (14 Oct 2025 4:12) TiVo, once synonumous with digital TV recording in the United States and in select other countries, has stopped making DVR devices as of October, 2025.
	Strava takes Garmin to court (02 Oct 2025 2:30) The world's perhaps best-known sports app developer Strava has filed a lawsuit against American sports watch manufacturer Garmin, accusing the company of patent infringement. 1 user comment

	Guide: Phone battery drains quickly - how to fix (iPhone / Android) In this guide, we go through the most typical reasons for rapid battery drain with phones, and look at potential reasons or solutions.
	Does your phone rattle? Here's why it happens When you shake your phone and hear a light rattle, clatter, or jingle, it's likely not broken. The culprit is probably the optical image stabilization (OIS) system in your phone's camera, meaning everything is functioning as it should. 2 user comments
	GUIDE: Wi-Fi speeds are slow? Here are some tips Having problems with Wi-Fi speed and stability at home? Here are some tips to follow to alleviate the issues. 1 user comment
	Guide: Is Your Wi-Fi Sluggish or Slow? Here's How to Fix Do you have problems with you Wi-Fi? Slow connection or is it cutting off constantly? This guide aims to remedy these problems. 1 user comment
	What happens if you don't update Android? Sometimes it can be tempting to avoid updating to a new Android version. What happens if you decide to delay major updates to the OS?

YouTube adds automatic captions for deaf viewers

3 user comments

Latest news

Reviews

Guides

News archive

Subscribe

Sections:

Follow us:

	Review: Roborock Saros Z70 - robot vacuum with an arm In out in-depth review of Roborock Saros Z70 we put the robot vacuum through a 3 month test period, where we observed its work in normal home. The sci-fi -like arm of Z70 was a little bit disappointing, due its limited functionality.
	Roborock Saros 10 review - Great, but not perfect We tested Roborock Saros 10 robot vacuum for more than two months in order to see whether it is really worth its hefty price tag. The mopping, self-emptying Saros 10 was mostly great, even perfect. But its object avoidance was bit disappointing. 1 user comment
	Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra review - obstacle avoidance doesn't work as it should, otherwise almost perfect robot vacuum We put the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra through a very, very long review process. The $1800 mopping robot vacuum is almost perfect, but its obstacle avoidance was surprisingly bad, considering the price - and compared to its competitors.