Technique Links Words to Signing
From: BBC News - 09/15/2007
By: Geoff Adams-Spink

IBM researchers have developed SiSi, a system that translates spoken words
into British Sign Language (BSL). SiSi, short for say it sign it, enables
deaf people to have simultaneous sign language interpretations whenever a
human interpreter is not available, and could possibly be used for signing
for television, radio, and telephone calls. SiSi uses speech recognition to
animate a digital character. SiSi has already been approved by the Royal
National Institute for Deaf people (RNID). "RNID welcomes any development
that would make the information society a more equal place for deaf and hard
of hearing people," says RNID's Guido Gybels. SiSi was developed by students
during a 12-week initiative called Extreme Blue that IBM hosts. "We had a
profoundly deaf mentor, so he kept a close eye on what was being done and
checking whether our translation corresponded to real BSL," says Maria
Vihljajeva, a student who developed the business plan for SiSi. In addition
to the BSL avatar, the students also developed an avatar that uses Sign
Supported English, a more direct translation that uses conventional syntax
and grammar. Both avatars were developed by the University of East Anglia.
Tom Klapiscak, another student who worked on the project, says SiSi was
designed so other languages could be added fairly easily, though creating the
translation module would be a fair amount of work. 

Read the entire article at:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/6993326.stm

British Sign Language
http://www.britishsignlanguage.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Sign_Language
http://www.british-sign.co.uk/

Some British Sign Language, Signs
http://www.deafblind.com/signs.html

IBM develops virtual deaf interpreter
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/techinnovations/2007-09-12-ibm-deaf_N.htm

IBM's SiSi virtually translates speech to sign language
http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/13/ibms-sisi-virtually-translates-speech-to-sign-language/

IBM Research Demonstrates Innovative 'Speech to Sign Language' Translation System
http://www-03.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/22316.wss

YouTube video of SiSi in action
http://youtube.com/watch?v=RarMKnjqzZU