Evolution of mechanical fingerspelling hands for people who are deaf-blind.
People who are both deaf and blind can experience extreme social and informational isolation due to their inability to converse easily with others. To communicate, many of these individuals employ a tactile version of fingerspelling and/or sign language, gesture systems representing letters or words, respectively. These methods are far from ideal, however, as they permit interaction only with others who are in physical proximity, knowledgeable in sign language or fingerspelling, and willing to engage in one of these "hands-on-hands" communication techniques. The problem is further exacerbated by the fatigue of the fingers, hands, and arms during prolonged conversations. Mechanical hands that fingerspell may offer a solution to this communication situation. These devices can translate messages typed at a keyboard in person-to-person communication, receive TDD (Telecommunication Devices for the Deaf) telephone calls, and gain access to local and remote computers and the information they contain.
Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Rehabilitation Research and Development Center, Palo Alto, CA 94304.
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D000328:Adult; D001766:Blindness / Q000150:complications; D002648:Child; D003143:Communication Devices for People with Disabilities; D003201:Computers; D003638:Deafness / Q000150:complications; D006225:Hand; D006801:Humans; D012371:Robotics; D012813:Sign Language; D012984:Software; D013685:Telecommunications