Talking gloves translate sign language to speech.

TechCrunch is captivated by one of the six finalists at Microsoft’s Imagine Cup in Sydney – a Ukranian team of student whizzes who have invented a pair of sign-language gloves that can translate your gestures into words:

Using gloves fitted with flex sensors, touch sensors, gyroscopes and accelerometers (as well as some solar cells to increase battery life) the EnableTalk team has built a system that can translate sign language into text and then into spoken words using a text-to-speech engine. The whole system then connects to a smartphone over Bluetooth.

The team has built a number of prototypes and tested them with sign language-users in the Ukraine. The idea for the project, said team member Osika Maxim, came from interacting with hearing-impaired athletes at the groups’ school.

They say they can make them for $75 a pair in parts.

Tags: electronics