How AI can bridge the Deaf and hearing worlds | Adam Munder | from TED Tech

0:00Adam Munder: Support for this episode comes from the University of Illinois Geese College of Business online MBA program known as the IMBA. Rodrigo Batanzo, who plans to graduate in summer 2026, completed his master's at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and already knew the world-class education the school delivers. The IMBA is now giving him the tools to take the next step in his professional journey.

0:30Hasiba Haq: I'm Rodrigo Betanzo. My current role is an associate consultant and innovator at an engineering consultant company based out of Dubai. So after being an engineering designer for 10 plus years, I decided that I really wanted to go on to the business side. And then that was fueled by the digital revolution of our field. and AI, I saw how you can really transform the civil engineering and the architecture industry by leaning on all of the potential that you have in that technology. And so that's why the MBA from GEIS was like the next obvious step for me. I chose GEIS because I knew I was going to get a good quality of education.

1:13Hasiba Haq: Also the flexibility of the program, for sure. I do travel a lot and I've been able to manage the workload. I feel very empowered that I can organize my time around the MBA without having to travel to a specific location. I can be super connected with the program everywhere I go. For me, entering at mid-career has been, I would say, right on time. I see how my mindset has been formed as a leader, as a leader of a business, but also as a leader of people as a leader of a team. One of my favorite classes was entrepreneurship with Professor Tom Parkinson, himself being a venture capitalist for many, many decades.

1:52Hasiba Haq: The knowledge that he was able to give to all of us was invaluable. One of the things that they teach us is that we think that creativity is about a moment of inspiration, and it's not like that. It's about equipping you with tools so that if you're in a team setting and if you're the leader, you can foster that creativity. Half of what I'm doing right now at my current role, it has to do with driving innovation in civil engineering. What I think this program has been helpful is to help me understand how to use AI as a tool, as a technology, but not the end in itself. After the MBA, I really hope to really do something different to what I'm doing right now.

2:34I've always been an adventurous person.

2:37Hasiba Haq: I left my country when I was 30. I sold almost everything I had, and then I just left. So I'm prepared for what the future might bring for me. And who knows what that adventure will be.

2:50Adam Munder: With a business-on-purpose approach, the Gies College of Business online MBA program guides you from curiosity to impact. With new focuses on healthcare innovation, entrepreneurship, and AI, you'll gain the tools and experience to make a difference in your industry and beyond. Learn more at geeseonline.illinois.edu.

3:15Adam Munder: This episode is sponsored by Kohler Smart Toilets. The objects we interact with most are often the ones we notice least. Kohler Smart Toilet challenges that assumption. What if the most overlooked space in your home could become the most considered? Their Veil Smart Toilet is a sculptural silhouette that isn't just intentional, it's a philosophy. That design changes everything. The Kohler Veil Smart Toilet is sleek, with a rounded shape that's more like architecture than just plumbing. And it goes beyond looks. The touchscreen controls and customizable cleansing features offer a level of comfort and cleanliness that exceed expectations.

3:51Adam Munder: It's all about elevating those ordinary daily rituals into something extraordinary through thoughtful design. Kohler has been pushing these boundaries for over 150 years, mastering that balance of stunning form and high-performance function. That's a long time to get it right, and it shows in every detail. Experience the difference of Kohler smart toilets. Find out more at Kohler.com. This episode is sponsored by Quince. This time of year, I tend to keep cooking really simple, lighter meals, fresh ingredients, and quick dinners that don't require a lot of planning. Lately, I've been cooking with Quince, and I've genuinely loved how thoughtfully made everything feels.

4:32Adam Munder: Their cookware has that clean, elevated look while still feeling practical enough for everyday use. I started using their ceramic nonstick saute pan recently, and it's become my go-to for almost everything immediately. It heats evenly, nothing sticks, and cleanup is incredibly easy, which honestly matters more to me than almost anything else after a long day. And Quince goes beyond cookware. It's a go-to for quality essentials across home, fashion, bedding, and more. They work directly with top manufacturers, so the quality is incredible, and everything is priced 50 % to 80 % less than similar brands.

5:08Adam Munder: Elevate your kitchen this summer. Go to quince.com slash tedhealth for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too. That's quince.com slash tedhealth for free shipping and 365-day returns. quince.com slash TEDHealth.

5:32Adam Munder: Hi, everyone. Shoshana here. Today, we're sharing an episode of a podcast we think that you'll love. It's been handpicked by the TED staff, and we think that as a TEDHealth listener, you'll come away with a fresh idea and a totally new perspective. Enjoy, and head to the link in the description for more.

5:54Adam Munder: we've built a society around certain modes of communication that aren't always very inclusive simple tasks we take for granted ordering a coffee checking into a hotel or even something as crucial as a doctor's appointment become a frustrating often isolating experience if they weren't designed for you. So how can we start thinking in a way that is truly inclusive of everyone? This is TED Tech, a podcast from the TED Audio Collective. I'm your host, Sherelle Dorsey. Our speaker today, Adam Munder, opens our eyes to this reality, not with abstract statistics, but with a deeply personal and moving story.

6:40Adam Munder: Adam is deaf. In fact, the voice you'll hear in this talk is his ASL interpreter speaking. His personal experiences with deafness and the hurdles he's confronted inspired him to create Omnibridge, an AI platform that translates American Sign Language into English text in real time. This isn't just a story about inconvenience. It's a story about dignity, about access, and about the fundamental human need to be understood. And now, Adam Munder takes the TED stage.

7:16Christan Hansen: Adam, wait. They need an interpreter. Now I'm ready. Go ahead. Oh, you guys need an interpreter. Thank you for briefly experiencing what it's like for me and millions of other deaf people worldwide. when we don't have an interpreter and we need to order a coffee, check into a hotel, or complete other daily tasks. What I was trying to share with you was a frustrating experience that my wife and I recently had. My wife is also deaf, and we took our daughter to a doctor's appointment. When we arrived, I'd asked for either an on-site or a virtual interpreter. Unfortunately, they told me neither were available.

8:01Christan Hansen: So I had to write back and forth with the receptionist at the front desk. To make matters worse, when the doctor came into the room, he said, oh, it's all right. We'll just have your daughter interpret for you. So could you imagine going to the doctor's appointment and being told by the doctor that your seven-year-old is going to relay the information to you? This was just one example of the two different worlds that I navigate. In my personal life, I raise my kids, I manage rental properties, I flip buildings, and I'm working on a coffee roastery. In this world, I interact with hearing individuals every day.

8:45Christan Hansen: Teachers, lawyers, real estate agents, contractors. Yet still to this day, I have to rely on a smartphone to text back and forth or write with paper and pen to the people I interact with. Then I have the professional world, where I've succeeded in part due to having two highly qualified interpreters. I have the same degrees, the same educational background, the same job responsibilities as my hearing peers. I solve the same engineering problems in a very competitive, fast-paced environment. But the playing field isn't level. And all of my daily collaborations, all of my meetings and presentations, everything hinges on my interpreters.

9:33Christan Hansen: I am very fortunate, though. My employer ensures that I have access to the same information that my hearing colleagues do. Unfortunately, this is not true for many deaf throughout the world. Interpreters are very expensive and scarce. Where I live in Arizona, there are more than 1.1 million individuals with a hearing loss and only about 400 licensed interpreters. So there's scarcity of tools available for us, and our communication options are very limited. This puts us in a survival mode, forcing us to use the resources that are at our disposal. Writing back and forth on paper and pen or using a smartphone to text is non-equivalent to American sign language.

10:27Christan Hansen: The details and nuance that make us human are lost in both our personal and business conversations. So we're bringing the humanity back to these conversations. I've done that by building a platform called Omnibridge. So my team has established this bridge between the deaf world and the hearing world, bringing these worlds together without forcing one to adapt to the other. So we're using the power of AI to analyze thousands of signs in ASL and translate them into English. Now, thousands may seem small, but ASL is very complex. With slight nuance and changes in body language, it can change the meaning of a sign.

11:11Christan Hansen: Today, with the advancement in compute on AI PCs, we're able to run our models locally without relying on the internet, which dramatically increases accessibility. With this, there's much less confusion and frustration. So we're changing the world through the power of AI, not just revolutionizing technology, but enhancing that human connection. My team is focused on using the AI PC and the power of AI to humanize and include, to really, truly level the playing field. Two languages, signed and spoken, and one seamless conversation. Thank you.

11:55Adam Munder: That was Adam Munder at TED Next 2024. And that's it for today. TED Tech is part of the TED Audio Collective. This episode was produced by Nina Bird-Lawrence, edited by Alejandra Salazar, and fact-checked by Julia Dickerson. Special thanks to Maria Latias, Farrah DeGrange, Daniela Belareso, and Roxanne Hilash. I'm Sherelle Dorsey. Thanks for listening. Thank you.

12:53Adam Munder: Illinois Urbana-Champaign and already knew the world-class education the school delivers. The IMBA is now giving him the tools to take the next step in his professional journey.

13:07Hasiba Haq: I'm Rodrigo Betanzo. My current role is an associate consultant and innovator at a engineering consultant company based out of Dubai. So after being an engineering designer for 10 plus years, I decided that I really wanted to go on to the business side. And then that also fueled by the digital revolution of our field and AI. I saw how you can really transform the civil engineering and the architecture industry by leaning on all of the potential that you have in that technology. And so that's why the MBA from Geese was like the next obvious step for me. I chose GEEZ because I knew I was going to get a good quality of education.

13:50Hasiba Haq: Also, the flexibility of the program, for sure. I do travel a lot and I've been able to manage the workload. I feel very empowered that I can organize my time around the MBA without having to travel to a specific location. I can be super connected with the program everywhere I go. For me, entering at mid-career has been, I would say, right on time. I see how my mindset has been formed as a leader, as a leader of a business, but also as a leader of people, as a leader of a team. One of my favorite classes was entrepreneurship with Professor Tom Parkinson, himself being a venture capitalist for many, many decades.

14:28Hasiba Haq: The knowledge that he was able to give to all of us was invaluable. One of the things that they teach us is that we think that creativity is about a moment of inspiration. And it's not like that. It's about equipping you with tools so that if you're in a team setting and then you're the leader, you can foster that creativity. Half of what I'm doing right now at my current role, it has to do with driving innovation in civil engineering. What I think this program has been helpful is to help me understand how to use AI as a tool, as a technology, but not the end in itself. after the MBA. I really hope to really do something different to what I'm doing right now.

15:11I've always been an adventurous person.

15:14Hasiba Haq: I left my country when I was 30. I sold almost everything I had and then I just left. So I'm prepared for what the future might bring for me. And who knows what that adventure will be.

15:26Adam Munder: With a business-on-purpose approach, the Guise College of Business online MBA program guides you from curiosity to impact. With new focuses on healthcare innovation, entrepreneurship, and AI, you'll gain the tools and experience to make a difference in your industry and beyond. Learn more at geasonline.illinois.edu.

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