Mark Applin

Mark Applin is the Co-Founder and CEO of Signly, an innovative company that develops assistive technology to improve accessibility for deaf and hard of hearing individuals.13

Professional Background

Mark Applin co-founded Signly with Deafax, a charity dedicated to transforming the lives of deaf people through technology.23 His work focuses on creating solutions that bridge the communication gap for the deaf community, particularly in accessing information and services.

Signly's Technology

Under Mark's leadership, Signly has developed several groundbreaking products:

1. Signly App: This smartphone application allows deaf users to access sign language interpretations at cultural venues by pointing their device at special logos.2

2. Signing Studio: Utilizing Azure technology, this tool extracts English text from websites and facilitates rapid translation into sign language.1

3. Browser Extension: This tool enables organizations to easily add sign language translations to their webpages, making online content more accessible to deaf users.4

Impact and Recognition

Mark Applin's work with Signly has garnered attention and praise:

• Signly has partnered with notable organizations like Santander, Signature, and the Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre to improve their accessibility.12
• The technology has been described as "revolutionary" and filling a substantial gap in the market for deaf accessibility.2
• Signly's innovations have been recognized by Microsoft, with the company being welcomed to the Azure Marketplace.1

Mark Applin's LinkedIn profile can be found at https://uk.linkedin.com/in/mark-applin-20b9384, reflecting his role as a pioneer in assistive technology for the deaf community.3