What is Video Relay Services (VRS)?
VRS is a video communication services for the deaf and hard of hearing to communicate with their videophones via live certified interpreters. It is a free service to the deaf and hard of hearing. Sweden was the first country in the world to establish the VRS in 1997. In 2002, Sorenson VRS created the vp-100 videophones. The USA became the second country to established VRS in 2003. Five years later in 2007, Sorenson VRS developed a vp-200 for improvement on new features than vp-100.
Deaf and hard of hearing in USA don’t need to pay local, long distance, & international calls thru VRS. They will need to pay their local internet provider to able to use VRS. Home and Business videophones are connected ethernet cords to the internet modem and plug wall. There are many different kinds of videophones products from different VRS companies. Below are some example for VRS companies:
Telecommunication device for the deaf (TTD or TTY) is an electronic equipment connected to the phone line that has telephone headsets and keywords. It was invented by Robert Weitbrechtin in 1964. Deaf and hard of hearing are able to type messages to the Telecommunication Relay Services (TRS) to communicate with their third party calls or communicate two way street by TTY to TTY. More info about TTY at http://tap.gallaudet.edu/Text/TTYBasics.asp
Today, deaf and hard of hearing use their mobile videophones. It is high demanding technology in which they don’t need to depend on their home videophones. They can use their wireless devices signals by 3G, 4G, and WiFi. When there is a weak signal, mobile videophones will not be able to work. Mobile video mail messages are allowing hearing people to leave messages to the deaf or hard of hearing. They can make point to point videophone calls to communicate with their families, friends, and co-workers. Special thanks for the engineers became successful for the deaf technology.