🚆 AI and BSL Accessibility in UK Train Stations

What’s happening now—and the road ahead 🎥🤟

As a Deaf BSL user, advocate, and researcher, I’ve been exploring the rollout of AI-assisted British Sign Language (BSL) videos in UK train stations.

📸 Image description: Euston Station’s departure board with a kiosk showing a BSL interpreter. Caption notes: BSL clips triggered by live station announcements (Phase 1 rollout).

It’s an exciting move for Deaf and hard-of-hearing travellers, but there’s more to be done.

🧠 What’s happening now:

Most BSL videos are pre-recorded or avatar-based, triggered by station announcements, not real-time signing. Live AI interpretation is still under development.

🔔 A key issue: There’s no clear indicator if a video is “Live” or a “New update.”And there’s no easy feedback channel for Deaf users.

➡️ Without transparency, how do we know it’s current—or even correct?

📆 Looking ahead: Future phases promise improved grammar, more natural signing, and cultural depth. But this must be:

✅ Deaf-led

✅ Co-designed

✅ Guided by qualified linguists and native BSL users

🧏‍♀️ Sign language is a language. It’s not “English with hand signs.”Avatars may look convincing, but accessibility means cultural accuracy, not just animation.

📣 True inclusion means choice:

✅ Captions

✅ Alerts

✅ Avatars

✅ Live interpreters

Each has value, but nothing replaces face-to-face BSL interpretation by Deaf and Hearing professionals.

🚀 I’m hopeful about what’s next. Let’s keep the dialogue open, honest, and Deaf-centred.

Peace, share, and keep improving together.🙌🤟

#Accessibility #BSL #DeafCommunity #Inclusion #AI #PublicTransport #CoDesign #DeafLeadership #NothingAboutUsWithoutUs