Unlocking the Past for All: ATS Heritage and Signapse's Mission to Make History Accessible for Deaf Visitors

From the outset, ATS has championed accessibility and inclusion in cultural spaces. They understood that for many visitors, especially those who are Deaf, hard of hearing, or visually impaired, the experience of exploring museums or heritage sites can be daunting. In response, ATS developed accessible tours featuring audio descriptions and British Sign Language (BSL) delivered on digital handsets and apps to break down these barriers and make visits more inclusive. 

ATS is committed to providing practical solutions that would allow every attraction to become more accessible to those who are Deaf, hard of hearing, or visually impaired regardless of perceived financial constraints, technological limitations or lack of understanding. 

In 2023, ATS sought to push their accessibility mission even further by finding a partner capable of delivering sign language translations at scale. After researching potential solutions, they discovered Signapse, an AI-powered sign language translation platform dedicated to revolutionising communication for the Deaf community.

ATS was drawn to Signapse’s ability to transform sign language translation into a cost-effective and scalable solution.

ATS believed that this innovative technology could be a game-changer for the visitor attraction sector, helping to overcome the cost and logistical barriers to implementing inclusive BSL tours across a range of sites. 

Their decision to partner with Signapse was driven by the shared vision of making heritage sites truly inclusive for all.

In 2023, ATS and Signapse officially announced their partnership, kicking off a new era of accessibility for visitor attractions across the UK. The collaboration has already borne fruit, with ATS deploying Signapse BSL on their latest multimedia tours at the Churchill War Rooms and HMS Belfast.

This joint effort brought together ATS’s expertise in content creation for visitor attractions and Signapse’s cutting-edge technology to provide enhanced access for Deaf visitors. With this innovative approach, they delivered a more inclusive, seamless visitor experience that set a new benchmark for accessibility in the sector.

The results of ATS’ partnership with Signapse are already clear: increased accessibility and more enriching experiences for Deaf visitors across the UK. This collaboration marks only the beginning of what both organizations hope will be a nationwide movement toward inclusivity in cultural spaces.

As ATS and Signapse continue to work together, they are excited to bring the next wave of AI-driven BSL tours to visitor attractions throughout the UK and Ireland. With each innovation, they reaffirm their commitment to making history, culture, and heritage accessible to everyone, regardless of physical ability.