David's story

We developed an assistive technology that converts on-ice audio cues into visual feedback for David the deaf ref.

David is an experienced hockey referee who has built a career officiating the sport. As a Deaf official, he cannot rely on auditory cues during gameplay, such as whistle blows and arena buzzers, which are essential for making timely and accurate decisions on the ice.

To address this, CanAssist has developed a system that detects key game sounds and converts them into real-time visual signals. Using a custom AI model trained on recorded hockey audio, the system is designed to recognize referee whistles and arena buzzers and provide immediate visual feedback. This allows David to respond more effectively during play and supports his continued participation in officiating.

Key features

High quality wireless microphone attached to uniform.
Custom Android mobile app to configure the system and send the signal to the LED display.
Custom designed Bluetooth connected and battery powered module mounted to visors.

I have been discussing this new technology with others in the Deaf community, and there is strong interest in seeing it become commercially available beyond its current use for hockey referees.— David

Follow David on Instagram @thatdeafref!