NVIDIA Intern Advances AI for Deaf Accessibility

AI for accessibility: NVIDIA intern David Martin is leveraging artificial intelligence to improve technology for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community.

• Martin, a computer science student at Georgia Institute of Technology, joined NVIDIA as a technical project manager intern on the trustworthy AI team.
• His personal experience as a deaf individual has motivated him to seek ways to enhance the accuracy and accessibility of technologies like closed captioning.
• Prior to his internship, Martin worked in a research lab at his university, focusing on developing accessible technology for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community.

Key projects and responsibilities: At NVIDIA, Martin is involved in various initiatives aimed at making AI more accessible and trustworthy.

• He advises engineering teams working on sign language AI applications and supports the development of ethical dataset curation tools.
• Martin emphasizes the importance of unbiased, transparent, and secure data collection in building accessible and trustworthy AI models.
• He is also training sign language recognition models and experimenting with features that could provide immediate benefits to the deaf community.

Collaborative approach: Martin’s role involves working across different teams and departments at NVIDIA.

• He collaborates with engineering teams to ensure the data they use meets ethical standards and preserves trust in AI systems.
• Martin appreciates NVIDIA’s open culture, which allows him to connect with leaders across various departments, from legal to robotics.
• This collaborative environment has broadened his understanding of AI for social good and helped him develop skills to better serve his community.

Intern experience at NVIDIA: As part of NVIDIA’s largest intern class since the pandemic, Martin has benefited from various opportunities for growth and learning.

• The University Recruiting program has facilitated connections with fellow interns and provided access to global events.
• Interns participated in career development workshops, a research showcase, and a Q&A session with NVIDIA founder and CEO Jensen Huang.
• These experiences have allowed Martin to gain insights from various NVIDIANs and explore different disciplines within the company.

Impact on the deaf community: Martin’s work at NVIDIA is driven by his commitment to improving technology for the deaf and hard-of-hearing.

• He sees his role as offering a voice for his community across the development process of new AI-driven systems.
• Martin’s projects aim to create positive change by addressing the limitations of existing technologies, such as the accuracy of closed captioning.
• His efforts extend beyond his internship, as evidenced by his previous work on wearable systems with built-in live captioning capabilities and educational games for learning American Sign Language.

Broader implications: Martin’s internship at NVIDIA highlights the growing intersection of AI and accessibility, showcasing the potential for technology to address societal challenges.

• The collaboration between individuals with lived experiences of disabilities and tech companies can lead to more inclusive and effective AI solutions.
• As AI continues to evolve, the focus on trustworthy and ethical development becomes increasingly crucial, particularly when addressing the needs of underserved communities.
• Martin’s work demonstrates how personal experiences can drive innovation in technology, potentially inspiring more diverse perspectives in the field of AI development.