AI Now Teaches American Sign Language: Here's How to Learn

Have you ever thought about learning sign language to connect with deaf family members, friends, or others in the community? If that's on your mind, you might be interested in trying out a new interactive website that leverages AI to teach you American Sign Language (ASL). Named Signs, this platform not only demonstrates how to sign but also uses your device's camera to check if you're getting the hand and finger shapes right.

How Does Signs Work?

If you're new to ASL, start by visiting the Signs website. Once you navigate past the welcome screen, select the "Learn ASL" option to kick off the tutorial. Ensure your camera is on and properly adjusted, and that you have enough room to sign comfortably.

An engaging 3D avatar will then guide you through your first word: "Hello". With your own image on the screen, mimic the avatar's gestures to sign the word. The tutorial continues with other basic words and phrases like "Thank you" and "Who".

After the tutorial, you can pick a difficulty level. The higher the level, the more challenging the signs. Beginners might want to start at the first level, while those with some ASL knowledge might jump to a higher one.

As the avatar demonstrates each sign, it provides calm, patient instructions on how to position your hands and fingers. A satisfying ding sounds each time you correctly replicate a sign, and you earn points to track your progress.

You can progress all the way to level four, building a solid foundation in ASL. You might find it beneficial to repeat levels until you're confident enough to move forward without the lessons.

The Story Behind Signs

The creation of Signs was a collaborative effort. NVIDIA, working with the American Society for Deaf Children, developed an open ASL database. Meanwhile, New York's Hello Monday/DEPT, the creative studio behind a similar platform called Fingerspelling, built the Signs platform to utilize AI for interactive learning.

The website welcomes various types of users. Those eager to learn ASL can dive into the interactive training. Experienced signers can contribute videos to expand the database of words and signs. Even beginners can upload their attempts to enrich the collection.

Each video submitted to the site is reviewed by Deaf individuals and certified interpreters to ensure the accuracy of hand and finger movements. While many focus solely on hand gestures, facial expressions and head movements are crucial in communicating with the Deaf community. The developers are exploring ways to include face tracking and other motion-capture technologies.

On their About page, the website states, "NVIDIA and Hello Monday/DEPT believe everyone has the right to expression. At the same time, NVIDIA and Hello Monday/DEPT recognize that some communities lack equitable access to means of expression. We created this platform primarily to help teach hearing parents that may not know how to sign, connect and communicate with Deaf children and family members. We see this as an opportunity to use AI for Good, to teach and engage the Deaf community meaningfully."