A research project of Neva Cherniavsky, University of Washington
The goal of the Mobile ASL project is to compress sign language video so that deaf users in the USA can communicate via cell phone. While the deaf community has welcomed new technologies such as the Blackberry and other PDAs, it is cumbersome to use text messaging when compared to signing, since the speed of sign language is equivalent to speech. However, with current compression technology and low mobile phone bit rates, real-time video transmission is not possible. The goal of this project is to make cell phones accessible by supporting real-time compression and transmission of sign language video.
The movie explaines and shows the phone in action.