Pakistani deaf software engineer develops app for hearing-impaired Individuals

In Pakistan, where around 10 million people are hearing-impaired, Wamiq Hassan, Pakistan’s first deaf software developer, created an application that will allow deaf and hard-of-hearing Pakistanis, particularly women, to communicate more readily.

The ‘DeafTawk’ mobile phone app, which is available worldwide, attempts to bridge the gap between hearing-impaired individuals and their communities by delivering a “real-time sign-language solution at their fingertips.”

The supportive application allows a user to register, connect with skilled interpreters, and speak with anyone, including physicians, teachers, cab drivers, family, and friends.

The app presently has over 18,000 users and employs over 1,100 professional translators who provide services in six distinct language styles: Pakistani, American, British, Chinese, Singaporean, and Malay.

According to Hassan, the founder, he migrated to the United States approximately 15 years ago since it was impossible for a deaf person in Pakistan to receive decent education programmes. In 2015, he returned to his native country as a trained software programmer, and in 2019, he co-founded DeafTawk with visually impaired friends Ali Shabbar and Abdul Qadeer.

“The primary motivation for developing this software is to elevate the deaf community and to make this world more accessible for everyone through the use of mobile technology,” Hassan explained in an interview.

“From personal experience, I know that deaf people in Pakistan endure severe communication difficulties, and there must be a way around them. As a result, we’re attempting to bridge this divide with this app.”