Recently, a few students from Stockholm, Sweden developed a video concerning a concept application aiming to help people understand sign language in real time. The video says “The vast majority of people don’t understand sign language, which means a lot of conversations never take place” articulating the major problem. Although the video is presented as if it was a Google product, the video was filmed by marketing students at Berghs School of Communication.
Is this a concept application or the app is available in real time?
Currently, the application is a concept app portrayed in a film by a group advertising students at Berghs School of Communication which aims to help people understand sign language using modern technology.
How does it work (conceptually)?
As the video portrays, a pair of forearm bands which analyze the position and muscle activity in both hands and forearm while signing using electromyography are paired with the app for translation into speech. The bands sense the movements and the signals are sent to app for processing. The application processes the signals and outputs corresponding audible speech. The concept aims at minimizing the delay between signing and translated audio actually being output.
“Google Gesture” as the students call the concept app is not being pursued, developed or associated with Google.
The video states that gestures are a natural part of human communication but for a lot of people they are must. Sign language is not understood by a vast majority of people. It would be an awesome application if brought to reality as it could help this majority understand sign language.
Hope we see more of such creative and noble ideas germinate which when augmented with technology could produce remarkable results.
Take a look at the aforementioned “Google Gesture” video embedded below.
