A Saskatoon inventor is working on his presentation skills and getting his ducks in a row because he is presenting his business to the Dragon’s Den this spring, hoping for an investment. Brian Kendall believes he has always been an inventor. He jokes that when he was seven years old, he came up with the idea of mixing his shampoo and cream rinse together.
His latest inventions are instant digital translation on LED signs, wearable badges, hats and masks, and he has a free app for your electronic devices that translate in real time as well. Another feature of the app is if you take a picture of something in another language, for instance a menu, it will translate it for you.
His products started with masks during COVID-19 when those hard of hearing were forced to wear masks and couldn’t watch someone’s lips move to decipher what they were saying. Kendall suggests the wearable badges could be used for those who work with seniors and those who are hard of hearing, or for those who have difficulty disseminating accents.
Kendall suggests the signs could be used on places like buses, on the protective plexiglass that has been added around the driver. That way, the bus driver’s messages to riders can be read as well as heard. He believes his products can help with accessibility for those who are hard of hearing and for those learning a new language or who are travelling.
Kendall pitches to the Dragon’s Den on May 8th, but he can’t divulge the results until the episode is aired next fall.
