The loss of one or more senses usually exacerbates the rest for a matter of sheer survival. A study from the University of Sheffield (UK) offers new evidence for this truth of nature. The authors of the work have found that using sign language has positive consequences for the brain both for people with total or partial deafness and for those who hear without difficulty.
The lower the ear, the better the vision
Scientists from the British University’s Academic Unit of Ophthalmology and Orthoptics have shown that hearing adults who learn sign language, which involves gestures and visual and spatial perception, improve their response to stimuli in their field visual, something that is very useful when driving or playing many sports.
Additionally, research has proven that deaf adults have better peripheral vision and faster reaction times than hearing-impaired adults .
According to Dr. Charlotte Codina, director of the work, “this shows that deaf people have exceptional visual ability that hearing people do not enjoy, and provides new evidence about the reality of sensory compensation. We have found that deaf people extend their peripheral field of vision. vision beyond what people with normal hearing can achieve. “
The State Confederation of Deaf People estimates that in Spain there are around one million people with some type of hearing impairment. For a large number of them, sign language is their mother tongue, and oral and written language is their second language.
A project to bring reading to deaf children
StorySign is an application designed by Huawei to offer deaf children a unique reading experience. If you want to know more about the project, go here: StorySign
