Roy Allela a 25 year old Kenyan, a Software engineer and Intel programme manager and also .the founder and lead engineer for Sign-IO has created hand gloves which turn sign language into audio speech to help people with hearing disability to communicate better.

Roy got his inspiration through a need to interact better with his niece who was born deaf. One out of ten people suffers from hearing impairment in Kenya, Roys invention is therefore important for those with such problem as it will help them to communicate with the general public.

Technology is at it’s a game in the world today and it’s the new order for every economy, with the innovation of the smart hand gloves that help translate sign language movements to audio speech Roy is renowned world wide.

The smart hand gloves would be worn by the deaf person and connected through Bluetooth to a mobile application  which was also created by Roy Allela.

Allela invented Sign-IO as a way for himself and others who cannot sign to communicate with the deaf.

The gloves comprises of flex sensors placed on every finger that allows it to translate what is signed to audio. His niece had tried it and he was able to understand what she was saying.  Allela said the speed at which the signs are being vocalised is one of the most important aspects of the smart gloves.

Allela, who was also Royal Academy 2018 Engineering Leaders In Innovation Fellow, has received recognition for Sign-IO from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), the world’s largest organisation for mechanical engineers, by winning the Hardware Trailblazer award at its 2017 ASME Innovation Showcase (ISHOW) competition. Allela is also on the shortlist for the 2019 Africa Prize for Engineering.

His goal is to place at least two pairs of gloves in every special-needs school in Kenya and to eventually be of help to the 34 million children worldwide who suffer from disabilities in hearing.