DoCoMo developing lip-reading mobile phone

TOKYO — Japan Today reports that NTT DoCoMo Inc has launched research and development on a lip-reading mobile phone that would allow people to have conversations without actually speaking, company officials said Friday.

People could use the device in noisy places or public areas where they are not allowed to use mobile phones, they said. It is also expected to help mute people communicate.

The carrier hopes to put it on the market in five years.

According to the officials, a sensor attached to the phone can detect electrical signals sent by muscles around the user's mouth and recognize the associated sounds.

It could also use voice-recognition to transcribe the sounds into text, allowing people to write without typing and easily send email.

The officials said a test model has recognized the vowels a, i, u, e and o with almost no errors. They also said it is technically possible for it to recognize consonants.

NTT DoCoMo will consider boosting the accuracy of the phone by adding lip-reading techniques through cameras. Third-generation (3G) mobile phones are equipped with cameras. (Compiled from wire reports)