We present an open web platform for developing, compiling, and running rulebased speech to sign language translation applications. Speech recognition is performed using the Nuance Recognizer 10.2 toolkit, and signed output, including both manual and non-manual components, is rendered using the JASigning avatar system. The platform is designed to make the component technologies readily accessible to sign language experts who are not necessarily computer scientists. Translation grammars are written in a version of Synchronous Context-Free Grammar adapted to the peculiarities of sign language. All processing is carried out on a remote server, with content uploaded and accessed through a web interface. Initial experiences show that simple translation grammars can be implemented on a time-scale of a few hours to a few days and produce signed output readily comprehensible to Deaf informants. Overall, the platform drastically lowers the barrier to entry for researchers interested in building applications that generate high-quality signed language.
We present Menusigne, a serious game designed to help beginner students learn basic sign language grammar. At the first level, the game uses a generation grammar and a signing avatar to let the student create signed utterances from menu-based patterns; at higher levels, the game presents avatar-generated or human-produced signed utterances, and the student uses the menus to indicate the meaning. The intention is to introduce the students to the principles of sign language grammar, and the game in particular emphasises the crucial role played by nonmanual (non-hand) movements. We describe an initial course for teaching basic Langue des Signes Française (French sign language) to French students.
Abstract. We present a new platform, "Regulus Lite", which supports rapid development and web deployment of several types of phrasal speech translation systems using a minimal formalism. A distinguishing feature is that most development work can be performed directly by domain experts. We motivate the need for platforms of this type and discuss three specific cases: medical speech translation, speech-to-sign-language translation and voice questionnaires. We briefly describe initial experiences in developing practical systems.
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