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Audio Description

Video Editing Station

Revolve Solutions uses a dual AI-powered platform to build audio described videos that meet 508 compliance requirements.

Assisting the Visually Impaired and the Blind. We own the mission to support individuals with visual impairments by unlocking their full potential across education, employment, and self-reliance.

Revolve pairs certified 508 Compliance Specialists with the recent advances in artificial intelligence to deliver both standard and extended audio descriptions.

Our platform quickly generates descriptions from videos, identifying visual context occurring in each scene to help visually impaired individuals understand context otherwise unavailable to them.

A second AI engine then narrates key visual elements, such as actions, settings, facial expressions, and other relevant details, to provide a comprehensive audio representation of what is happening on the screen.

 

Supporting Law Enforcement and Security. Revolve’s work with audio description extends in areas beyond 508 compliance. Our platform can automate detection and identification tasks across various domains, including spaceborne, airborne, and land/sea-based sensors.

By automating the detection and identification of features in imagery and video, Revolve Solutions provides operators with real-time insights and situational awareness, which are critical for making informed decisions in dynamic and high-stakes environments.

What is Audio Description

What is Audio Description?

 

Audio description, also called video description, is a way for blind or visually impaired people to enjoy movies, TV shows, and other visual media. The method adds a narrator explaining what's happening on screen, fitting between the dialogue and sound effects.

 

Audio description key points include:

  • Function: It describes elements like scenery, characters' clothing, facial expressions, and actions that are not audibly represented in the original form.

  • Delivery:  Audio description is usually on a separate audio track that you can turn on.

  • Benefits: This narration helps people who can't see understand the full picture of what's going on in the media.

 

Audio description makes entertainment and education more accessible for blind and visually impaired people.

How Does It Work?

How does it work?

Revolve Solutions' AI platform automates the process of creating audio descriptions. Here's a breakdown of how it works:

  1. Video Analysis:  Our AI platform analyzes the video frame-by-frame.

  2. Object Recognition: It uses computer vision to identify objects and actions in the video. This could be things like people, furniture, vehicles, and movement.

  3. Text Description Generation: Based on what it recognizes, our AI platform generates a text description of the visual content.

  4. Speech Synthesis: Our AI platform converts the text descriptions into speech using synthetic voices.

 

The trick is getting the right amount of context clues into the audio description. It is at this point where art meets science. Revolve’s certified Compliance Specialists use their expertise, and a touch of magic, to generate the optimal final product.

Image by Blake Connally
Section 508 Compliance

SECTION 508 COMPLIANCE

Section 508 is part of the United States Rehabilitation Act of 1973 that mandates accessibility of information and communication technology to people with disabilities.  This applies to government agencies and organizations that receive federal funding.

 

508 compliance requires that pre-recorded videos with synchronized audio (like dialogue and sound effects) must also include audio descriptions. This ensures that people who are blind or visually impaired can understand the full content of the video.

Here are some key points on how audio description relates to 508 compliance:

  • WCAG 2.0 Level AA:  Section 508 references the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)  2.0 Level AA as a benchmark.  WCAG specifically mentions audio description as a requirement for accessible videos.

  • User Control:  The video player used must allow users to turn captions and audio descriptions on and off easily. Ideally, these controls should be at the same level as volume or program selection.

  • Benefits:  By including audio description, government agencies and organizations can ensure their video content is accessible to a wider audience, following accessibility regulations.

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