3-D sign language synthesis

Signed communication developed by deaf communities provides points for research in biomechanics, kinematics, and linguistics. The sign synthesizer is a tool that may be used to animate gestures contained within the vocabulary of a sign language by the user's selection of previously defined hand shapes and corresponding positions and the system integration of transitions between these selected positions. In this paper we will discuss the evolution of the sign synthesizer, its use in the development of an application for the purposes of basic research in the neuroscience of motor control and learning, and future applications that may be developed using the sign synthesizer. Advantages of the sign synthesizer include the ability to generate a human avatar in 3D for implementation in a virtual environment. The sign synthesizer also incorporates a number of important features desirable for the development of virtual experiences within experimental protocols. These important features include: a stereo enabled virtual environment, ability to create MPEGs or sequential still images of animation, and a custom graphical user interface (GUI) to enable creation of new signs.