New Language Technologies for ASL| USC Viterbi

USC Researchers achieved 91 percent accuracy at computer recognition of signs

While there is “talk to text,” there’s no equivalent tool for American Sign Language (ASL) to be automatically recognized and translated into text. New research and language technologies developed by scholars affiliated with the USC School of Advanced Computing’s Thomas Lord Department of Computer Science might help future researchers who aim to build translation tools.

The team’s innovations outlined in paper presented at the 2025 Nations of the Americas Chapter of the Association for Computational Linguistics conference, are in developing a machine learning model that treats sign language data as a complex linguistic system rather than just a mere translation of English. The team led by Lee Kezar, then a doctoral candidate in computer science out of Professor Jesse Thomason’s GLAMOR (Grounding Language in Actions, Multimodal Observations, and Robotics) Lab, introduces a new natural language processing model, incorporating the spatial and semantic richness of ASL, treating it as a primary language with its own syntax.

The first step for developing a means of ASL recognition which demands an understanding of the language’s specific nuances—and how natural signing may be divided into phonological features, such as the ‘C handshape’ or ‘produced on the forearm’” for a computer.

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A call for action, inclusion and respect for the deaf community| YouTube – eNCA

September is International Month for the Deaf. Activists say this is not a celebration but a call for action, inclusion and respect for the Deaf community. Fatima Cele, Executive Director at Neema Foundation for the deaf and Sign Language Interpreter, Lebogang Madubane, spoke to eNCA’s Gareth Edwards.

How This Deaf Artist Found Her True Identity Through Art and Community | SeeHer Multiplicity | YouTube – Health

Mia Sanchez shares her journey to becoming proud of her identity as a deaf afro-latina woman and artist. She explains the difficulties of growing up as the only deaf person in her family and at school, and how she finally learned to express herself fully through art. She and her children also share the ways they code switch between not only the hearing and deaf communities, but also between the white deaf community and the Black deaf community. Through her artwork, Mia represents inclusivity and diversity–a vision of the world inspired by her journey and where she comes from.

Learn Sign Language with Gecko’s Garage! | Gecko Is Frozen | YouTube – MyGo! ASL for Kids

Gecko’s Garage is an animated edutainment series designed for curious minds aged 2 to 5. Dive into a colorful world teeming with friendly vehicles, helpful robots, and the brilliant mechanic, Gecko. As kids learn about different vehicles, they also explore essential concepts like colors, shapes, and numbers, fostering basic cognitive development in a delightful and engaging way.

A Deaf Woman and Her Deaf Dog: An Inspiring Story of Love and Resilience| YouTube – HAPP

Meet Karlie and Rhett, an incredible duo who found each other through their shared disability. This heartwarming video tells the story of their unique bond and their journey to overcome challenges.

Deaf West Theatre | Pioneering Accessible Theater for Deaf and Hearing Audiences

Founded in 1991, Deaf West Theatre engages artists and audiences in unparalleled theater experiences inspired by Deaf culture and the expressive power of sign language. Committed to innovation, collaboration and training, Deaf West Theatre is the artistic bridge between the Deaf and hearing worlds.

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The History of Tech Reshaping Deaf Communication | YouTube – Learn How to Sign

A Deaf culture lesson where we delve into the transformative world of technology reshaping deaf communication. In this video, we explore the innovative assistive technologies that have and are revolutionizing how the Deaf community communicates, connects, and thrives in an increasingly digital age. From cutting-edge apps to portable devices, we’ll uncover how these advancements are breaking down barriers and empowering Deaf individuals to engage with the world on their terms.

Prompt Engineering for deaf people | YouTube – DigiDeaf

What’s Prompt Engineering, and why is it crucial? This lesson reveals the art of crafting better prompts to get the most out of ChatGPT. Discover how the clarity of your instructions shapes the quality of AI responses!

How AI Can Bridge the Deaf and Hearing Worlds | Adam Munder | TED

Software engineer Adam Munder is on a mission to break down communication barriers between the Deaf and hearing worlds. In a live demo, he introduces OmniBridge — an AI platform that translates American Sign Language into English text in real time — and demonstrates how this tech could ensure every conversation can be fully understood, regardless of the participants’ hearing abilities. Munder is joined onstage by ASL interpreter Christan Hansen and TED’s Hasiba Haq. (Made in partnership with Intel) (Recorded at TEDNext 2024 on October 22, 2024)

Guns and Ships in ASL | YouTube – ASL Theatre

This is an ASL interpretation, student project of select songs from “Hamilton.”

We hope you can appreciate the sincere love and countless hours these kids and their instructor have put in, to both honor Mr. Lin-Manuel Miranda’s beautiful passion project as well as our beloved Deaf community. We believe, “the world is wide enough…”