Enhancing Environmental Awareness for Hard of Hearing Individuals: A Mobile Application Approach

Abstract

This research focuses on developing a mobile application to enhance environmental awareness for deaf and hard of hearing individuals. At its core is an advanced audio classification system using a convolutional neural network model optimized for recognizing environmental sounds. Extensive experimentation identified the best performing convolutional neural network architecture, trained on spectrograms to classify diverse environmental sounds accurately. The model balances accuracy and computational efficiency, making it ideal for real-time mobile deployment. The application includes a user-friendly admin interface, enabling individuals without machine learning expertise to manage and train models, ensuring adaptability to various auditory environments. Leveraging cloud technologies like Amazon Web Services for data storage, processing, and model deployment, the platform provides a scalable solution for safe interaction with surroundings. This empowers users to navigate their environments confidently, enhancing awareness of crucial auditory cues. The study demonstrates the potential of mobile technology to improve inclusivity and environmental consciousness for underserved populations through real-time, tailored sound recognition.