6 replies to this topic

[Nintendoga]

http://enabletalk.com/index.html

At Microsoft's annual design competition called the Imagine Cup, a group from the Ukraine won the Software Design category for EnableTalk. In truth, the pair of gloves covered in sensors wouldn't have done much without the software to translate hand movements to something a computer could understand, and then communicate with Microsoft's voice programming API to export actual speech. That all of that happens in real time using simple hardware is pretty amazing, and EnableTalk earned the Ukrainian Quadsquad team $25,000.

The four members of Quadsquad got the idea to make these gloves when they tried to interact with deaf classmates at their school. The team spent time building the prototype using custom made flex sensors, touch sensors, gyroscopes and accelerometers to gather as much data from the hand motions as possible. Transmitting that data via Bluetooth to a Windows Mobile-powered cellphone was just a stroke of genius.

Now that EnableTalk won the prize, the group will now turn to trying to sell the glove and software combo. The prototype's materials only cost around $75, and the group plans to sell the unit for $200 each. That might sound like a huge markup, but similar products (using less sensors, a wired connection, with no integrated voice support) cost about $1,200.

The applications for EnableTalk are plentiful. Hearing impaired and deaf people could use them to converse with people who don't know sign language, allowing them to lead more normal lives. Severely autistic or handicapped patients could use them to speak to loved ones. We could even go full circle and use these gloves to communicate with animals.

Edited by Nintendoga, 12 July 2012 - 07:29 PM.

[Gabz Girl]

That's a amazing! O.O It will certainly be very helpful for people who can't speak Sign Language, like me.

[MarcelloF]

The applications for EnableTalk are plentiful. Hearing impaired and deaf people could use them to converse with people who don't know sign language, allowing them to lead more normal lives. Severely autistic or handicapped patients could use them to speak to loved ones. We could even go full circle and use these gloves to communicate with animals.

That's really cool, but even though the non-deaf people who don'T know sign languag can understand the deaf with this, there's still problems the other way around.

That last sentence is kind of nonsense, though.

[El Driver]

I think this is so good. As someone that knows a little bit of sign language I can tell you that people that know it and use it ran into a difficulties cause most people don't understand them.

That's really cool, but even though the non-deaf people who don'T know sign languag can understand the deaf with this, there's still problems the other way around.

Yeah it doesn't solve the problem the other way around but it makes things easier. For example, if someone that is deaf asks for water or even directions it's easier to show them. Also there is people that used sign language and are not deaf they just cannot talk.

[Emmett L. Brown]

Ah hell yes! This is exactly the kind of fancy futuristic technology I was expecting to find in the twenty-first century.

*fingers crossed* C'mon, commercially available jetpacks!

[Megumi Hayashibara]

This is wonderful news! The deaf will have more power and influence!

[goku262002]

This is awesome. can't wait to see this further developed.