Free Sign Language
This page is a draft for the creation of our website. It was translated automatically from french, with a few manual fixes.
We want to create a library of signs, universal, vectorial and free to use !
There are thousands of web sites, online dictionaries and libraries, dedicated to sign language. Why try again?
The licenses of the available content are not always open (copyright, can not use off-site, ...).
It is therefore very difficult to take advantage of the contents, and especially to improve them or contribute.
We want to build a library whose signs will be in the public domain (Creative Commons CC-0).
The formats of available content are varied, but most of them are videos, animated pictures, or scanned drawings, which limits the usages. Particularly because of the presence of a dark background, or lack of resolution or sharpness.
The vector format has many advantages:
- Resizable (lossless stretch or resize)
- Assemble (manipulation of objects or groups of objects rather than pixels - arms, hands, ...)
- Customizable (ownership of the content easier - color, proportions, ...)
- Multimedia (paper printing, websites, software, ...)
- Neutral and anonymous (the person who contributes does not expose her face)
- Constant quality (no concept of quality of the camera)
In addition, the standard vector format SVG is supported by many software (and Web browsers).
The library will be international. Each letter, number or word may be declined in different languages, according to the desires of the contributors. To begin, we will probably focus on the French Sign Language.
Unlike photos, illustrations produced will not necessarily be at the image of the contributors. They will allow diversity (children, women, men, multiethnic ...) and be the most schematic possible (faces, busts, clothing ...).
Each video can be searched by keyword and downloaded on a minimalist Web page.
Everyone can download, use, fix, enhance and add signs. The library will be built with the help of volunteer contributors. We will manage the project with the same philosophy that free software!
The open license will also publish the content library on multiple existing platforms (eg. Thenounproject openclipart).
The format, the open license and the schematic aspect of signs opens a lot of possibilities regarding usage.
However, we have already identified these specific needs, with actors and associations working on the field with deaf people:
- Materials for learning and teaching signed languages (schools, games, memo cards, coloring ...)
- Placards accessibility (conversation at the bar elements, orientation in a festival or event)
- Play cards to print yourself (variant of Time's Up, hearing-deaf cohesion)
- Activity in the open source educational game GCompris (numbers, letters, words ...)
- Accessibility on websites (spell automatically, virtual keyboards, illustrations, menus, summaries of the page ...)
- Memos, enabling interpreters to take note of a sign as a memo
Obviously, we are aware of the amount of work required to build a library with thousands of words.
That is why we want to build on a series of reusable components to accelerate the creation of signs.
The various reusable components will be grouped into files, regardless of language.
To create a new word, a simple copy and paste of elements is enough to get started!
With tens of elements, it is possible to begin to describe some vocabulary, since the drawing software allows to rotate, mirror or stretch.
Ultimately, we believe that it will take a hundred "hands" to allow to contributing new words without having to edit the elements.
This approach also ensures minimal graphic homogeneity within the library.
The design software allows to control the appearance of object contours (dashed, opacity, etc.), which enables representing movement in universal fashion, like comics.
A simple arrows library will help making explicit larger movements. Some words or expressions may also be described using two signs, side-by-side.
(non vector example of PRESTO project)
We want to start with a platform like Github, to build and improve the library.
Initially, the files will have to be downloaded, edited on the computer with a drawing software like Inkscape, and the resulting drawing submitted to the platform. We will use our experience in the world of free software to encourage and manage contributions.
In the long term, we can consider having a Web application with a true line editor (such as for avatars ...).
If you are interested to follow the progress of the project, join our mailing list (in progress)!
At this stage of the project, we are mostly looking for an illustrator to design the first basic elements and give the graphic identity!
Thereafter, simply assemble the components with a drawing program and submit your creations!
If you are a web developer and you are motivated to create a small application to navigate the library, join us!
- Sj Rideaf "Seejayer". Deaf Hacktivist (President of the association Arbore'Sign)
- Reboul Sungja, Association of Parents of Deaf Midi Pyrenees.
- Kellerhals Marie Paule, head teacher of French Sign Language classes Ramonville.
- Simon Bats. Designer and Web Developer.
- Mathieu Leplatre (Developer). Author of Subtivals, an open source software dedicated to the projection of subtitles for deaf and hearing impaired, and [guess-sign](http://leplatrem.github.io/guessign /), a small online game to guess signs from videos.
Consider and synthesize ideas- Communicate about the project
- Find an illustrator motivated to take the first steps
- Bring an online Project
- Create a first draft of elements including the alphabet, numbers and simple words
- Create some educational materials to validate the visual first
- Facilitate workshops to learn how to contribute signs
- Create GCompris activity to teach reading to deaf, hearing or to sign!
Examples of free content and Vector
- Japanese dictionary based on photos (Free and vector, but not schematic)
- Some "hands" on openclipart (Free and vector, but no word)
- Some icons on TheNounProject (Vector and sometimes free, but no word)
Examples of non-free content and / or non-vector
- Card game "Say it in sign language" (Cards built on the principle reusable items)
- Glossary IT LSF (PRESTO) (Free, no vector, drawn on photographs)
- Spanish Dictionary for Children (Not vector, unknown license)
- Dictionary of scanned drawings (Blur, low resolution)
- Sign Collections print (Vector, not free, very few words)
- Printable cards, games etc. (not vector or not free)
- Children Signs (high resolution images not available)
- Baby Signs (Schematic , but low resolution)
- Is the universal sign language? (Examples patterns on photographs)
- Sample media for CM2 class (heterogeneous very low resolution)
- Movement representation examples (low resolution and partial)
- Software PhotoSigne (Automatically adding arrows on signs from the Webcam)
- Tutorial to trace a sign from a photo *(Glossary * PRESTO)
Theory
Video dictionaries
- SpreadTheSign (extensive collection of multiline video)
- Sourds.net Dictionary (thousands of videos in LSF)
Graphics tracks