Soon, richer movie viewing experience for hearing-impaired Down Under

Melbourne, July 18 (ANI): Thousands of hearing-impaired movie buffs in Australia will now be able to enjoy cinema better, thanks to new portable wireless closed-caption technology.

Four main cinema chains, representing about 70 per cent of the screens Down Under, recently unveiled the technology, which is still in the prototype stage.

It will be rolled out to 24 screens this year, with up to 242 screens expected to have the devices in the next four years.

The Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Children's Services, Bill Shorten, who launched the plan, said the move would make captions and audio description possible in all cinemas managed by Hoyts, Village, Greater Union, Birch Carroll and Coyle and Reading International by 2014, reports The Age.

The Captiview device sits in a drink holder attached to the cinema seat. Viewers can position it so that captions appear either just below their screen view or to the side.

The Deafness Forum of Australia has welcomed the development. (ANI)