ResearchBuzz: FirehoseArs Technica: Google temporarily disabled YouTube’s advanced captions without warning. “Google has now posted a brief statement and confirmed to Ars that it has not ended support for SRV3. However, all is not well. The company says it has temporarily limited the serving of SRV3 caption files because they may break playback for some users.”
https://rbfirehose.com/2026/01/22/ars-technica-google-temporarily-disabled-youtubes-advanced-captions-without-warning/
1 News (New Zealand): Sign language AI avatars to include Māori concepts, signs. “A New Zealand company is breaking down barriers for the Deaf community by creating AI avatars with the ability to sign and translate to NZ Sign Language. The inclusion of Māori signs and concepts have Turi Māori, those in the Māori Deaf community, throwing their hands up in celebration.”
The Register: Whisper it: FFmpeg 8 can now subtitle your videos on the fly. “FFmpeg 8.0 brings GPU-accelerated video encoding via Vulkan – and can now subtitle your videos automatically using integrated speech recognition.”
Jak2k 🏳️🌈I'm now able to connect two Bluetooth devices at the same time! This is a FUCKING GAME CHANGER! I don't have to reconnect them all the time anymore!
I have new hearing aids! 
(Phonak Audéo again)
They are rechargeable now and some frequencies are configured 5-10 dB louder. This means I have to adapt for a few days. In the meantime, I constantly hear my hairs, clothes and some background noise. (And I'll probably have headaches).
I also have a new hearing program for conversations in loud environments. I'll try that next Friday at @cccac.
Headlines AfricaNigerian church for the deaf offers people a sense of community http://newsfeed.facilit8.network/TMJlgm #DeafCommunity #HearingImpairment #InclusionMatters #Nigeria #DisabilityAwareness
The Register: Chinese TV uses AI to translate broadcasts into sign language. It’s not going well. “China’s efforts to employ AI as a means of improving access to media for its deaf population aren’t going well, according to a professor at Beijing Normal University’s Faculty of Education.”
HardWiredHappy #DisabilityPrideMonth!
I am not disabled myself, but this #COVID journey we are on has shown me how some people have really stepped up with compassion, and, unfortunately, how many others (incl. govts) have turned their backs on the vulnerable. Let’s all think about our fellow humans with compassion and understanding. All of them. #disability #YallMasking #MECFS #LongCovid #accessibility #deaf #HearingImpairment #Inclusion (some tags that are near to my circle). https://www.disability.ca/disability-pride-month-celebrating-identity-advancing-rights-and-fostering-inclusion/
I am not disabled myself, but this #COVID journey we are on has shown me how some people have really stepped up with compassion, and, unfortunately, how many others (incl. govts) have turned their backs on the vulnerable. Let’s all think about our fellow humans with compassion and understanding. All of them. #disability #YallMasking #MECFS #LongCovid #accessibility #deaf #HearingImpairment #Inclusion (some tags that are near to my circle). https://www.disability.ca/disability-pride-month-celebrating-identity-advancing-rights-and-fostering-inclusion/
Pete Warden: How to caption videos in Javascript. “I’m excited to announce the public launch of MoonshineJS. This is an in-browser implementation of our lightweight speech to text models, and while you can do a lot of different things with the library, one of my favorite use cases is adding captions to videos.”
https://rbfirehose.com/2025/06/30/pete-warden-how-to-caption-videos-in-javascript/
Gallaudet News: Gallaudet experts drive accessibility of speech tech for deaf voices . “Some people use their voices to control tech, from cell phones and remote controls to home appliances and in transportation. Voice command capabilities are made possible through training AI and machine learning. The Speech Accessibility Project is creating datasets of more diverse speech patterns, which […]