Overview of Signs: A Collaborative Platform for Learning and Contributing to American Sign Language

Signs is a digital platform designed to facilitate the learning and teaching of American Sign Language (ASL) through the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and community contributions. Developed in collaboration with NVIDIA and the American Society for Deaf Children, and managed by Hello Monday/DEPT®, Signs aims to create a comprehensive and accessible ASL learning experience while also building a public dataset of ASL videos.

Key Features

Learning ASL with AI

• Interactive Learning: Users can learn ASL by interacting with a 3D avatar that provides real-time feedback on their sign language gestures.
• Structured Levels: The platform offers various levels of difficulty, catering to beginners and those looking to improve their ASL skills.
• Tutorial Guidance: For new users, a tutorial is available to help them navigate the platform and start learning effectively.

Contributing to the ASL Dataset

• Video Contributions: Users with knowledge of ASL, regardless of their proficiency level, can record and upload videos of themselves performing signs.
• Community Verification: All submitted signs are verified by Deaf individuals and certified interpreters to ensure accuracy and cultural relevance.
• Open Dataset: The videos contributed by users will be part of an open dataset, spearheaded by NVIDIA, intended to aid in the development of accessible technologies for the Deaf community.

Goals and Vision

• Community-Powered Learning: Signs leverages the power of community contributions to continuously expand its database, thereby enriching the learning experience with a variety of signs.
• Accessibility and Inclusion: The platform is designed to be accessible, promoting the learning of ASL to a broad audience, including hearing parents of Deaf children.

Development and Partnerships

• NVIDIA: Leads the data collection and annotation efforts, ensuring the dataset is comprehensive and useful for technological development.
• American Society for Deaf Children: Provides expertise and validation to ensure the platform meets the cultural and educational standards of the Deaf community.
• Hello Monday/DEPT®: Handles the technical development and maintenance of the Signs platform, ensuring a user-friendly and engaging experience.

Target Audience

• Learners: Individuals new to ASL can use the platform to gain a foundational understanding of the language.
• Contributors: Experienced ASL users and learners are encouraged to contribute their knowledge by recording signs to help expand the dataset.

Future Developments

• Inclusion of Non-Manual Signals: Plans are in place to enhance the dataset with non-manual signals like facial expressions and head movements, using advanced motion-capture technologies.

Release Information

• The open dataset is scheduled to start being released in the second half of 2025, aiming to facilitate wider access and application development.

Signs is a significant step towards making ASL learning more dynamic and widely accessible, while also supporting the Deaf community through technological advancements and community involvement.

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