Sex eLimu: developing sign language video content using Oxford Dictionaries API

Hudson Asiema is the CEO and co-founder of Deaf eLimu Plus, a Kenyan start-up company that provides innovative educational products and tutorial services in sign languages. Here, Hudson tells us about his truly innovative tool, Sex eLimu.

Project name: Sex eLimu

Developer: Deaf eLimu Plus Limited

Platform: mobile

Language: Android and Java

Tell us a bit about your project!

Sex eLimu is an application that enables deaf youth users to search for specific Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH) information in Kenyan Sign Language (KSL) and to observe KSL topics and explanations about SRH through video content. It not only features SRH information but also enables users to look up SRH terms for definitions.

Why did you decide to create it? What gave you the idea for your project?

When my team and I saw the I.AM campaign, in which UNFPA-Kenya and Nailab challenged young innovators and entrepreneurs to innovate solutions for accessing SRH information, we realized that there is still a lack of SRH information in sign language for deaf people – especially young ones. I decided to pitch and develop an innovative app because it was very unique for deaf people who will enjoy and understand SRH Information through video content.

How did you use the Oxford Dictionaries API?

I read the API documentation and JSON code and then wrote a simple code using Java and REST to test my understanding. After that, I developed some methods and classes for retrieving data from the API.

What do you hope to do with your app next? Any future developments of new ideas?

I will continue to use Oxford Dictionaries API for developing a chatbot for Sex eLimu using Facebook Messenger and Telegram Messenger. I really hope that Oxford Dictionaries API will create a new API for SRH terms and its definitions only.

How would you like to see the Oxford Dictionaries API developed further?

I would like Oxford Dictionaries API to include image links so my future innovative app could retrieve both words and pictures for deaf and hearing children. Also, I would love to see if we can add some sign language videos into the API because it has audio link for hearing learners but not for deaf learners.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

I’m proud to say that Sex eLimu was one of the finalists for the I.AM Challenges campaign in 2016 – the campaign that inspired my team and I to create the app.

Want to find out more about Sex eLimu? Watch Hudson tell us about his app in this webinar.