Newly developed gloves translate sign language

Researchers at UCLA have developed gloves that translate sign language. While this technology is nothing new, it’s the latest attempt to provide valuable tools for non-speaking or non-hearing communicators.

The concept here is exciting, but the current implementation seems a ways from consumer practicality. Don’t get me wrong–the tech here is impressive and will continue to get better. But in their current form, they are too bulky for many people to choose to wear them on the street. Additionally, the accompanying app’s ability to translate in “real time” is still a bit slow from the standpoint of usability.

However, I do not want to discount how impressive the tech behind this truly is. In my mind, the most interesting part of this development is the symbolism behind the technology itself. It’s another form of technology helping us communicate better with one another. As time moves on, we shouldn’t only maintain how we communicated with each other in the past; we need to blaze new trails. For products like these gloves, the key will be in iteration and improvement. We should view this as proof of concept and now wait for the next leap forward.

I’ll be interested to see if one of the major tech giants throws R&D dollars at developing something like this. Recently, companies like Microsoft and Google have designed hardware and software specifically designed for tech users who often don’t get the attention they deserve. These moves are nothing but positive for industry and the world as a whole. Inviting more more people to the table is never a bad thing. Therefore, tech like this is always worth creating and iterating because in the end, it will make people’s lives easier.