RIYADH, 20 February 2004 — A device to turn sign language into audible sound can open up a whole new world of communication and interaction for those challenged with hearing and speech impairment, according to Waleed K. Al-Deaigy, assistant executive director for public relations and media affairs at the Prince Salman Center for Disability Research (PSCDR). “A glove that can translate hand movement and sign language into computer generated speech is one such device currently being developed by PSCDR, which recently took part in the Dubai International Rehabilitation Forum (Rehab 2004),” he told Arab News over the weekend. Arab sign language recognition is an ongoing research program which uses a specially fitted glove linked to a computer to translate the signs made by the user into spoken words.
