New Sensor-Heavy Gloves Translate Sign Language Users’ Gestures Into Text and Voice

Could modern technology provide a huge leap forward for sign language users who want to communicate with the rest of us?

A team of Ukrainian engineers have developed something called EnableTalk—a set of gloves that translates sign language into text and then spoken words with flex sensors, touch sensors, and gyroscopes. For the millions of users around the world, the relatively cheap $75 technology could facilitate communication with those who don’t use or understand sign language. Better yet, EnableTalk has the ability to learn new and altered gestures, allowing for regional variations and dialect.

Unveiled in Sydney, Australia this week at Microsoft’s Imagine Cup competition, the EnableTalk gloves are probably a long way off from getting onto store shelves. But when and if they do, we can’t wait to teach them some new moves. Let’s just avoid giving a pair to MIA.