Cellphones, clothing, concept, design, gadgets, glove, handtalk, sign language...

HandTalk Glove Turns Sign Language Into Words via Cellphone

Attempts at making a glove into a communication device for the deaf have been going on for years now, but a group of undergraduate computer engineering students at Carnegie Melon have come up with what has to be the most practical design to date. The main difference being that it translates sign messages through a cellphone as opposed to a bulky computer. And the best part is that the device uses fairly inexpensive materials to work its magic.

Basically, the glove operates using flexor strips in the fingers that send signals to a chip regarding their position. The chip interprets that data then sends it wirelessly to a cellphone configured with a vocabulary that corresponds with the gestures. The cellphone converts that information into a text message and then into speech using an off-the-shelf program. So far, HandTalk has been able to learn 15 of the 26 letters in the American Sign Language alphabet, and the team plans on adding pressure sensors and accelerometers to account for more complex gestures that make up the difference. With any luck, the HandTalk glove will be ready for a real-world testing in 3 or 4 months.

It sounds great, but I think Jason Chen put it best when he asked: "I wonder what it'll convert this gesture into":
[Pittsburg Post Gazette via talk2myshirt]

5:00 PM on Fri May 9 2008
By Sean Fallon
2,376 views
29 comments

Comments

shamoononon at 05:08 PM on 05/09/08
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"I wonder what it'll convert this gesture into:"

-- "I can't find it, where did it go?"

Now Gizmodo is helping the blind and the deaf! It's never very hard finding their theme of the day.
Git Em SteveDave at 05:11 PM on 05/09/08
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Wait, so it translates signs into a cellphone? How's the deaf person supposed to hear the cellphone, speaker?
violentsingalong at 05:13 PM on 05/09/08
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Wait... Why can't deaf people just text? They're deaf... not retarded.
shamoononon at 05:13 PM on 05/09/08
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@Git Em SteveDave: I think it's meant so that they can communicate with somebody who doesn't know sign language...perhaps.
Darrone at 05:13 PM on 05/09/08
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Can it rock out on original NES?
GeekyNerdGuy at 05:14 PM on 05/09/08
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Chen's only making that gesture because those kids aren't using an iPhone ...
shamoononon at 05:15 PM on 05/09/08
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@violentsingalong:"as opposed to a bulky computer"... I don't know about you, but I speak much faster than I can text through a cell phone.
aec007 at 05:16 PM on 05/09/08
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So what does it translate to when you flip the bird to someone?
UP YOOOOOOURS BUDDY !

Well at least we do not need to see the sign if a translation sounds like:
YES... YES... YES.... HMMMMM, YEAH !
violentsingalong at 05:21 PM on 05/09/08
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@shamoononon "I speak much faster than I can text through a cell phone."

Not if you were deaf. You'd probably text faster! ;)
shamoononon at 05:22 PM on 05/09/08
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@violentsingalong: No, you would sign faster :)~
violentsingalong at 05:24 PM on 05/09/08
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@shamoononon: Touche! But that glove is super lame. I'd just stick to text messaging because it's more practical.

Psshhh... Sign language is so last year.

xD
getz76 at 05:25 PM on 05/09/08
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Is that a fish-eye lens, or does the guy on left have a head 3-times the size of the guy with the glove?
Munch at 05:26 PM on 05/09/08
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Does it work the other way too? Can I type things into the cell, and have them manipulate the hand? Make that guy throw up the wrong set in gang territory?
GeekyNerdGuy at 05:32 PM on 05/09/08
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I'd like it better if maybe the glove were a little more ginormous.

Seriously, couldn't they find a giant foam hand?
adrunkenmonkey at 05:37 PM on 05/09/08
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I'm beating off. I'm beating off. I'm beating off. I'm beating off. I'm beating off. I'm beating off. I'm beating off. I'm beating off. I'm beating off. I'm beating off. I'm beating off. I'm beating off. I'm beating off. I'm beating off.

Oh, crap forgot to turn the glove off, sorry.
Moordryd at 05:43 PM on 05/09/08
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@getz76: I was thinking the same thing... nice lens choice by the photog. /sarcasm
Michai at 06:00 PM on 05/09/08
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I always thought a punch in the mouth was a universal sign? No glove needed.
bosskev at 06:03 PM on 05/09/08
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@adrunkenmonkey: Very nice!
secretmanofagent at 06:26 PM on 05/09/08
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It's very convenient to carry a Powerglove.
Late_Night at 06:35 PM on 05/09/08
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Hmm I don't get this myself. I have deaf friends and we just text, they love their Sidekicks (even though I think their build quality sucks). And this converts their signs to text and THEN to voice? Great so now their whole messages will sound like the cellphone's voicemail prompt.
Late_Night at 06:38 PM on 05/09/08
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Another thing, ASL (American Sign Language) is its own language with its own grammar. Will this convert grammar as well? Otherwise it'll just sound like broken english, besides ASL isn't a written language at all. The more I think about this the less I like it.

[dl2.glitter-graphics.net]
Mandatory_Field at 06:41 PM on 05/09/08
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@Late_Night: And they won't be able to hear or receive any response back, since the responder will be talking to them, and not texting. Can't think of any scenario -- other than possibly 911 calls -- where this would be of any real benefit....
ebeckert11 at 06:51 PM on 05/09/08
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@Mandatory_Field:

True. You are better off texting one another to talk. There would be no way to reply, and thus the usage of this isn't as big as put out to be.
Bokusatsu_Tenshi at 07:02 PM on 05/09/08
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Mr. Anderson: "How about I give you the finger... *electronic voice: FUCK YOU!*, and you give me my phone call."
egyptiansushi at 09:36 PM on 05/09/08
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No one can ever spell my city right. -___-

(Pittsburgh)
Sora57 at 11:58 PM on 05/09/08
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@egyptiansushi: I'm wondering about the gesture for Coxsackie.

(Upstate NY)
kevininstereo at 10:58 AM on 05/10/08
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n95 rules. thank you.
bignaz2k at 02:04 PM on 05/10/08
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Reminds me of the high school student that made one 6 years ago:
[query.nytimes.com]

His worked via a laptop, though.
blore40 at 10:55 AM on 05/12/08
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Seems like the kind of device that will put you in Gitmo with Harold and Kumar.