If you are deaf and use sign language on a regular basis, you know that communicating with a person who doesn’t understand sign language can be bit of a challenge. Communication in such situations usually involves using a notepad or phone for writing sentences and passing it back and forth. Although not the least effective of ways to communicate, it can still be cumbersome and time consuming. To alleviate this, a company called MotionSavvy is busy building a tablet that “reads” sign language and “translates” it for the other person.

The tablet has Leap Motion built in, a gesture recognition device introduced last year. The leap motion part of it recognizes the deaf person’s signs and speaks them out loud for the hearing person. The deaf person then turns the tablet towards the hearing person so they could speak into it. Once they finish speaking, Leap Motion translates speech into sign language for the deaf person. 

With this tablet, communication can be made much easier and smoother between a deaf and hearing person. No need for third party interpreters anymore – It can be easily carried in a purse or backpack and can be used anytime and anywhere – with friends or strangers!

Of course, this tablet is still in the works, and currently, it recognizes only a 100 words, but the team is diligently working on expanding the number of words it can recognize/sign.

Source: MotionSavvy via Engadget