“Starting Light” Developer Voices Hopes for Deaflympics

From Jiji

November 17 2025

TOKYO – The developer of the “starting light” device hopes that the Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics, which began on Saturday, will raise awareness about the deaf community. 
   The device will be used alongside the starting pistol for track events at the quadrennial sports festival for people with hearing difficulties.
   “I hope people become more aware of the difficulties that those who are hard of hearing go through,” said Masahisa Takemi, a 50-year-old teacher at the Central School for the Deaf, run by the Tokyo metropolitan government, who was involved in the development of the device.

 A palm-sized device used in short-distance events, the starting light is set up on the ground in each running track lane under the noses of athletes using a crouch start.
   The device lights up red for the call of “on your marks,” yellow for “set” and green for “go.”