Talk to the hand ... the robot hand, that is
By Marc Perton 
posted January 19th 2006 10:42AM
posted January 19th 2006 10:42AM
If you need to communicate with
hearing-impaired people but haven't gone to the trouble of learning sign language, you may soon be able to rely on a
robot to do your talking for you. Researchers in Japan have developed a prototype robotic hand that can recognize
spoken phrases and translate them into sign language. For now, the hand -- which has 18 joints for more fluid movement
-- can only repeat 10 simple Japanese phrases, along with phonetic hiragana characters, but researchers hope that
future versions will be able to recognize hundreds of thousands of words.[Via Slashdot]
how about instead of a robotic hand, they make a small LCD screen that types out the words as you speak them. An instant closed captioning, if you will. This way hearing impaired people who do not know sign language, (i.e. the elderly), can understand what the speaker is saying.
Holy cow, finally a real reason for consumer robotics, other than the roomba vacuum of course.
Wouldn't it be easier to have a digital camera connected to a PC with a 3D model of a hand animating the sign language? Just my thought.
i made up this incredible method where you write down what you want to say on a piece of paper and then you hand it to them and they read it. then if they want to respond, they write below you. i call this the analog instant messanger method.
Cool. Now, how will I understand what the other person is trying to say to me in sign language? Will that robotic hand be able to translate the other way around?
lol this will never take off! i'll bet my car on it!
speech to text is the clear winner here!
This will never work??? put the hand close to your 21st finger, and then repeatedly ask it to translate "jerk off" while surfing internet with both hands!!
OK, what if a you could train a monkey to translate sign language then use that monkey for other things such as cleaning and brushing your teeth. That way you wouldn't have to use your own hands ever again. Although a wearable version of those robot hands might be cool too. I've always wanted to be as strong as a robot.
I still think the Analog Instant Messenger method described by Chris (#4) is best :)
For those who say analog communication is best have never tried to communicate with deaf people for an extended amount of time. Passing paper works for a few minutes, but it is a slow task. The idea of the screen is feasible. It is called CART, but can be very expensive.
The sign language symbols shown are wrong!!!
The "x" sign is actually the sign for R!
It'll be interesting trying to communicate with a deaf person when all the signs are wrong...duh.
Agreed #10.. but I just use interpreters, and even that is painfully slow.
No I'm not deaf but the National Technical Institute for the Deaf is at RIT so I have classes with deaf people all the time.
this gives new meaning to "Talk to the hand! ya def mother f$%#er" hahahahahahahahahahahaha
Replying to #11. It is Japan Manual Alphabet _NOT_ America Manual Alphabet.
When will we all see thie demonstration in public?
afaik the signs are wrong.
i learned them 10 years ago and hardly used them since, but: j is wrong (draw a J shape with your finger), in Q the forefinger should be out as well, as chris said, the R symbol is what you drew for X, you drew an A instead of S (for S the thumb should go across a couple of fingers in the front) and for X imitate a hook with your forefinger.
i could be mistaken, but that's the ASL (and ISL, israeli signs, inspired by asl) i learned.
perhaps this is another sign language, not the american one? or local slang?
"For now, the hand [...] can only repeat 10 simple Japanese phrases..."
"No tax"
"Good price. You buy"
"Me ruv you rong time"
so instead of learning sign language, i need to learn japanese?!