China Daily
4th June 2024
AI gives the visually challenged a chance to enjoy movies
Despite losing her eyesight at 52, Beijing resident Zhang Hua has maintained her enthusiasm for the cinema.
For more than a decade, she has been a regular visitor to the China Braille Library to enjoy "barrier-free movies", a special version tailored for people with visual impairments. These movies, typically screened on Tuesdays, feature added audio narratives that explain visual elements such as character movements and settings.
However, the main regret for her and fellow movie fans is that most of these films were released several years or even decades ago, primarily due to copyright issues.
A new service jointly launched by the technology company Tencent and the library will expand their options. Titled "Barrier-free Cinemas", the service, aimed at benefiting China's more than 17 million visually impaired individuals, is scheduled to release over 600 films and TV dramas.
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