SBIR Phase I: Robotic system outputting natural tactile-sign language to aid Deaf and Deafblind communication

小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第一阶段项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力将有助于低成本拟人机器人以及机器翻译领域。利用低成本制造和深度学习方面的进步，该项目正在开发一种可访问的最先进的投诉机器人，具有强大的远程处理能力。使用远程处理来避免昂贵的微处理器和存储能力，拟议的云服务器可以捕获任何基于WiFi的通信和娱乐，同时根据定制标准和用户偏好实时翻译语言。通过授予聋盲(DB)个人新获得的独立性和隐私，该项目的成功将彻底改变DB个人与其社区互动的方式，并提供对有能力的世界资源的即时访问。据估计，每年的市场机会为2130亿美元。该产品将对辅助技术领域产生重大影响，目标群体是历来服务不足的DB人群，他们几乎没有什么创新。重要的是，这将是第一个商业化的签名机器人。这个小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第一阶段项目将为聋盲(DB)人提供一种方便和可接近的方式与世界互动。目前DB社区缺乏沟通助手，这要求所有严重失聪的人都要依靠人工翻译与听力/视力世界互动。然而，由于这些昂贵服务的交付期很长，DB个人经常经历孤立和孤独。这项研究的目的是实现一只完全顺从的、灵活的手指拼写拟人手。此外，这项研究旨在开发第一个在口语和手语之间进行翻译的体系结构。技术研究需要对连续运动的运动捕捉、映射和存储以及肌腱驱动方案进行研究，以实现低成本的18自由度机器人手。此外，语言学研究探索DB语言的使用(句法、词法、手势产生等)以及基于人口统计数据的偏好。预期的技术成果包括一只机器手，它可以获得数据库用户90%的识别率，以每秒一到两个手势的不同速度签名，并在源语言和输出的触觉手势之间进行准确的翻译模式。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will contribute to the fields of low-cost anthropomorphic robotics as well as machine translation. Leveraging advancements in low-cost manufacturing and deep learning, the project is developing an accessible and state-of-the-art complaint robot with robust remote processing. Using remote processing to avoid expensive microprocessors and memory capabilities, the proposed cloud server can capture any wifi-based communication and entertainment, while translating language with custom standards and user preferences in real-time. By granting DeafBlind (DB) individuals newfound independence and privacy, the success of the project will revolutionize how DB individuals interact with their community as well as provide immediate access to the abled world’s resources. The market opportunity is estimated at $213 billion annually. This product will have a significant impact on the assistive technology field, targeting the historically underserved DB populations, for whom there is little innovation. Importantly, this would be the first commercialized signing robot. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will provide a convenient and accessible method for DeafBlind (DB) people to interact with the world. The current lack of communication aides among the DB community requires all people with severe deafblindness to rely on human interpreters to interact with the hearing/sighted world. However, with extensive lead times for these expensive services, DB individuals regularly experience isolation and loneliness. This research aims to achieve a fully compliant, flexible fingerspelling anthropomorphic hand. Additionally, this research aims to develop the first architecture for translating between a spoken and signed language. Technical research requires investigation into motion capture mapping and storage of continuous motion as well as tendon actuation schemes to achieve a low-cost 18 degrees of freedom robotic hand. Additionally, linguistics research explores DB language usage (syntax, morphology, sign production, etc.) as well as preferences based on demographic data. Anticipated technical results include a robotic hand that can sign with 90% recognition from DB users, signing at variable speeds ranging from one to two signs per second with accurate translation patterns between the source language and outputted tactile signs.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.