[games_access] Technique links words to signing

[David Colven]

Apologies if you already know this but there is a report of some new 
software developed by IBM in the UK called SiSi which uses a signing avatar 
to translate text into BSL and/or Signed English

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6993326.stm

All the best


David

At 09:14 17/09/07, you wrote:
>Eelke,
>
>there maybe many sign languages for each region or spoken language,
>for instance BSL and ASL and Makaton are just 3 "English" sign
>languages, also there are regional and even local or personal versions.
>Furthermore, literal translation is almost useless, as each grammar
>may be very different.
>
>Naturally not everyone can read, so text isn't necessarily helpful.
>
>fwiw this is not an area I have much expertise in, but this much I do
>know.
>
>regards
>
>Jonathan Chetwynd
>Accessibility Consultant on Media Literacy and the Internet
>
>
>
>On 17 Sep 2007, at 01:00, Eelke Folmer wrote:
>
>Hi Barrie,
>
>Very interesting but unless you use mechanical puppets to animate the
>sign language in a non digital environment, wouldn't it just be easier
>to just use text? e.g. render subtitles on a screen? Or am I missing
>something here? Is sign language the same for different languages or
>is it universal?
>
>Cheers Eelke
>
>
>
>
>On 9/15/07, Barrie Ellis <barrie.ellis at oneswitch.org.uk> wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>>A group of students working for IBM develops technology that
>>automatically
>>converts the spoken word to British Sign Language.
>>
>>Technology that translates spoken or written words into British Sign
>>Language (BSL) has been developed by researchers at IBM.
>>
>>The system, called SiSi (Say It Sign It) was created by a group of
>>students
>>in the UK.
>>
>>SiSi will enable deaf people to have simultaneous sign language
>>interpretations of meetings and presentations.
>>
>>It uses speech recognition to animate a digital character or avatar.
>>
>>IBM says its technology will allow for interpretation in situations
>>where a
>>human interpreter is not available.
>>
>>It could also be used to provide automatic signing for television,
>>radio and
>>telephone calls.
>>
>>'Disenfranchised citizens'
>>
>>The concept has already gained the approval of the Royal National
>>Institute
>>for Deaf people (RNID).
>>
>>"RNID welcomes any development that would make the information
>>society a
>>more equal place for deaf and hard of hearing people," said the
>>charity's
>>director of new technologies, Guido Gybels.
>>
>>"Sign language users are among the most disenfranchised citizens as
>>a result
>>of services and products not being designed with their needs in mind."
>>
>>But Mr Gybels says there is still a long way to go before such
>>prototypes
>>are in everyday use.
>>
>>IBM runs a yearly initiative called Extreme Blue which invites
>>technically-minded and business students to collaborate for 12 weeks.
>>
>>"We had a profoundly deaf mentor, so he kept a close eye on what
>>was being
>>done and checking whether our translation corresponded to real
>>BSL," said
>>Maria Vihljajeva, the student who developed the business plan for
>>SiSi.
>>
>>The students used two signing avatars developed by the University
>>of East
>>Anglia.
>>
>>One of them signs in BSL and the other uses Sign Supported English
>>- a more
>>direct translation using conventional syntax and grammar.
>>
>>Converting SiSi to use other languages should also be straightforward,
>>according to Tom Klapiscak, another student who had technical input
>>into the
>>project.
>>
>>"We designed the SiSi architecture in such a way that new translation
>>modules can easily be plugged into the system," he said.
>>
>>"Obviously this would involve the work of creating the translation
>>module
>>itself - which is no small task."
>>
>>Mr Gybels of the RNID says he is "very impressed" with what the
>>students
>>were able to achieve in just twelve weeks.
>>
>>"Creating a system that can actually bridge the gap between hearing
>>people
>>who speak English and deaf people who use BSL is very important."
>>
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>>Via BBC:
>>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6993326.stm
>>_______________________________________________
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>>
>
>
>--
>------------------------------------------------------------------------ ----
>Eelke Folmer                           Assistant Professor
>Department of CS&E/171
>University of Nevada              Reno, Nevada 89557
>Game interaction design        www.helpyouplay.com
>------------------------------------------------------------------------ ----
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>
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David Colven, Technical Advisor

The ACE Centre Advisory Trust
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