Os apps Below are tools to improve interaction with a smartphone for people with hearing impairments. They cater to different degrees, serving different needs. All work in Portuguese.

Some of the apps are not free, but they promise to greatly improve the quality of life of people who suffer from some type of hearing impairment. However, it is always important to remember: before choosing which app to use, consult a doctor to find out the severity of the problem.

1. Live Transcribe

Launched in February last year by Google, Live Transcribe promises to transform conversations captured by a smartphone's microphone and display them as subtitles on the device's screen. This is one of the newest apps developed to help people with hearing impairments, and it provides content in more than 70 languages.

The app has been renamed and is now called Instant Transcribe and Sound Notifications. It can be downloaded for free from the Play Store.

2. Sound amplifier

Another Google release from last year, Sound Amplifier is an app that removes background noises, such as recordings, traffic sounds and other noises so that hearing-impaired users can have better clarity in what they are hearing. Like Live Transcribe, it can be downloaded for free.

3. Movie Reading

This is one of the simpler apps, and it can also be used by those who are not necessarily hearing impaired. It promises to provide subtitles and audio descriptions for movies. It is also free.

4. TV Louder

Available for devices only Apple, TV Louder is one of the many apps that promise to help those who are hearing impaired and love watching television. It works as a personal amplifier, increasing the sound of the TV only through the user's headphones.

Unlike the other apps mentioned above, TV Louder is paid and costs US$3, equivalent to R$16.

5. Hand talk

An app designed for people with severe hearing loss from birth. Hand Talk is ideal for those who use sign language (LIBRAS) and for those who want to communicate with these people but don't know how. It is a simultaneous language translator and is available for both iOS and Android. It is free.

6. AutoVerbal Pro

The last one on our list is AutoVerbal Pro. It is one of the apps that promises to help people with different types of disabilities, not just hearing, communicate. It works through electronic voice or images. It costs US$4,99, which is the equivalent of just over R$26.