Two undergraduate students at the University of Washington have created a pair of sassy gloves that can translate American Sign Language ( ASL ) automatically into textual matter or speech . design to assist bridge the communicating gap between the Deaf and get a line residential district , theSignAloud glovesuse advanced sensors to recognize ASL gestures . They were recently awarded a $ 10,000 Lemelson - MIT Student Prize for their work .
The inventors , Navid Azodi and Thomas Pryor , created the SignAloud glove prototype in their bare meter at schooling , using the tech imagination provide by the UW CoMotion MakerSpace , which pop the question communal equipment for students .
Azodi and Pryor say they want to create a brace of gloves that not only transform American Sign Language , but was well-heeled and lightweight .
“ Many of the preindication language transformation devices already out there are not hardheaded for daily role , ” Pryor explains . “ Some use video input , while others have sensor that cover the user ’s entire arm or consistency . ”
The SignAloud baseball mitt , meanwhile , are more compendious , covering only the manus . Pryor hopes that they could one day be as easy to use — and as bromide — as hearing help or contact lenses . ( you could ascertain the technology in action below . )
The SignAloud baseball glove are equip with sensors and connect via Bluetooth to a figurer , which analyzes and translates gestures : Whenever a gesture equal the computer ’s database , the parole or set phrase is spoken through a speaker . Pryor and Azadi trust the gloves could also be used to enhance exploiter experience in practical reality and monitor the rehabilitation of virgule patient , though their primary pursuit is get them for role by the Deaf community .
“ Our role for developing these gloves was to ply an easy - to - use bridge between aboriginal speakers of American Sign Language and the rest of the mankind , ” Azodi explain . “ The idea ab initio came out of our share interest in conception and problem work . But coupling it with our notion that communication is a key human right , we set out to make it more accessible to a big audience . ”
