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Sign Language Out Loud

Posted by timothy on from the gestures dept.

hcetSJ writes "CNN.com has an article about a glove that reads sign language and can translate to spoken English. Although it's only one-handed now, and can only handle about 200 words, the inventor has further plans for a second hand and wider vocabulary. I wonder if this could be linked with the Rosetta Stone idea, to quickly expand the vocabulary. Also mentioned in the article is the possibility of military use...gaming control can't be far off." grvsmth points to a more detailed article on GWU's website.

5 of 45 comments (clear)

  1. heh by Tirel · · Score: 4, Funny

    I wonder what it says when you're masturbating?

  2. I can see it now... by WildFire42 · · Score: 4, Funny

    /me flips you the bird.
    /me's glove attempts to translate it as "Eagle".
    /me's glove BSOD's.

    Dammit...

  3. not sure how easy this would be... by jfruhlinger · · Score: 4, Insightful

    ASL (and other sign languages) aren't just word-for-word translations of Englis (and other spoken languages); they are true languages with their own unique grammar. Any attempt at an on-the-fly translation would, it seems to me, result in a muddle that would make the Babelfish sound like Shakespeare.

    jf

    1. Re:not sure how easy this would be... by jfengel · · Score: 4, Insightful

      True enough, especially given that interpreting ASL depends on many factors other than hand position (speed, intensity, facial gestures, etc.) Much of that, however, can be communicated effectively even to non-ASL speakers, and serves to enhance a Babelfish-esque translation.

      Just as Babelfish gives me at least a rough idea of what an article in another language says, it would be a substantial boon to an ASL speaker to be able to get at least the gist across to somebody who doesn't speak ASL. And unlike Babelfish, which I only have to use occasionally, most ASL users must communicate with non-deaf speakers essentially every single day.

    2. Re:not sure how easy this would be... by hcetSJ · · Score: 4, Informative

      That's where the Rosetta Stone method could be helpful. A word-for-word translation might be stilted, but by comparing entire sentences, a system might learn that one idiom in one language translates (loosely, at least) to another idiom or phrase in the other.

      --

      This side up.