VANESSA – A system for communication between Deaf and hearing people

Issue title: Virtual Reality and Disability

Guest editors: Christian Berger-Vachonx, Daniel R. Mestre and Alain Pruskiy

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Glauert, J.R.W.^{a; *} | Elliott, R.^a | Cox, S.J.^a | Tryggvason, J.^a | Sheard, M.^b

Affiliations: [a] University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK | [b] Royal National Institute for Deaf People, London, UK | [x] University of Lyon, France | [y] Université François-Rabelais de Tours, Laboratoire d'Informatique, Polytech Tours, France

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected].

Abstract: The VANESSA system provides speech-driven assistance for eGovernment and other transactions in British Sign Language (BSL). The system allows speech or text input over a limited subject domain to be translated into sign language, which is then signed for clients using an avatar. The avatar animation is generated synthetically. VANESSA also enables text communication by means of computer keyboards and an interface similar to that used by internet chat room software. The system can be easily modified to translate into other spoken languages, and multiple updates to the content are possible.

Keywords: Sign language, synthetic signing, eGovernment, translation, avatar

DOI: 10.3233/TAD-2006-18408

Journal: Technology and Disability, vol. 18, no. 4, pp. 207-216, 2006