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

The broader/commercial impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is the development of a first-of-its-kind assistive technology that provides real-time, independent communication access for DeafBlind people. This innovation aims to bridge the significant accessibility gap that currently prevents millions of individuals from independently accessing the internet, receiving emergency alerts, or communicating without a human interpreter. The Tatum Signing System (TSS) supports autonomy, privacy, and improved mental health. Commercially, the project targets a serviceable $1.4 billion market across at-home, educational, and healthcare applications, with strong interest from national distribution programs that provide assistive technology at no cost to end-users. The project also enhances understanding of tactile language translation and compliant robotics, potentially benefiting adjacent fields such as prosthetics, soft robotics, and inclusive product design. 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.