Last week, Eran Fishov, Head of Customer Success at Verbit, represented Verbit as part of a delegation organized by Access Israel to Vienna. The Israeli delegation met with Austrian business leaders and stakeholders, including Wolfgang Sobotka, President of the National Council of the Republic of Austria Parliament, who is an accessibility advocate.
As part of the delegation, Fishov presented Verbit’s AI technology as an enabler for accessibility and inclusion in the education and enterprise space to Microsoft Austria, Bank Austria and ORF, Austria’s National Public Service Broadcaster.
“The delegation focused on presenting Verbit, among other Israeli tech solutions, as a driver of inclusivity for all individuals with and without disabilities,” Fishov said. “I was fortunate to be given the opportunity to demonstrate Verbit’s technology and discuss how the technology can break existing barriers in consuming verbal content, thereby changing the future of education.”
The delegation was a prelude to the Zero Project Conference, an event focused on education and fueling equal opportunities for all students, including those navigating a range of disabilities.
“The mission of the Zero Project Conference is to create a world without barriers, which greatly resonates with Verbit’s vision,” Fishov said. “The conference was inspirational and eye-opening for us as a tech company. It provided an opportunity to meet and hear from practitioners, thought leaders and educators from around the world who are seeking tech solutions for greater accessibility.”
Fishov met with professors, tech innovators, disability department managers, accessibility consultants and others from the US, Europe, Africa and Australia who were anxious to learn how Verbit could help them drive inclusivity in their organizations.
“The Zero Project Conference has a unique rhythm and DNA that combines the academic conversation with practical solutions, all in one place,” Fishov said. “The event created connections to help drive the adoption of inclusivity approaches and methodologies by utilizing technologies that support the needs of students globally.”
Fishov demonstrated Verbit’s solution live to a simulated classroom of students with and without disabilities. The demo showcased how technology focused on inclusivity can effectively facilitate the education of all learners by providing all students with essential tools to succeed in their studies.
“I was proud to take part in the experiential activities that were organized by Access Israel to simulate Verbit’s technology in a classroom comprised of people with hearing loss, vision loss and physical and cognitive disabilities, among other learning needs,” Fishov said. “We showcased Verbit’s transcription capabilities live, providing accurate transcription for every word spoken during the class. Participants were shown how to search Verbit-produced transcripts and how live tools can enhance the focus of all students regardless of disability.”
Fishov also presented Verbit on the conference’s main stage and gave additional demos from the exhibition hall during the multi-day conference.
“This event and our collaboration with Access Israel brought Verbit’s mission of utilizing technology to solve accessibility concerns to life,” Fishov said. “We were able to drive home the ability of solutions like Verbit’s to transcribe all video and audio to make every piece of verbal content searchable and accessible to everyone.”
Fishov said he was also impressed by the innovative technologies of his Israeli counterparts, including those of OrCam, STEP-HEAR and Acoustic Protocol.
“OrCam’s solution really caught my attention. It allows those who are blind to consume content using a simple device attached to their glasses. Giving students who are blind the ability to fully and equally take part in a class without the ability of sight is remarkable,” he said.