SiSi Technology Turns Speech Into Avatarian Sign Language

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You may have noticed, but I’m generally more pro technology that helps people than pro technology for technology’s sake (megahertz races, megapixel races, console wars, etc.). “Say it, sign it” helps people, I’m happy to say. Developed in the UK, it’s a technology—with a very Second Life-looking on-screen avatar—that interprets spoken English and translates it into British Sign Language. Its developer, the Royal National Institute for Deaf people, say SiSi (as the kids will no doubt call it) will help the deaf—a disenfranchised group—in situations where a human interpreter isn’t available. I like it.

And yes, the technology is such that converting it for use in other languages should be relatively easy. Rock.

Technique links words to signing [BBC News]