A Kenyan start-up has built a mechanical hand that can translate a teachers’ voice into sign language in real time, allowing deaf children to learn alongside their hearing counterparts

  • Lovec741@lemmy.world
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    1 day ago

    I love the concept, but could anyone explain to me what the point of a physical robot hand is?

    I understand that the children can’t yet read text so they need to see sign language, but what is the point of a physical hand and not a recording of a hand or a CGI hand?

    A hand on the screen would:

    • be silent
    • need no specialized HW
    • be cheaper

    I can see the novelty of a physical robot hand, but if the point is to help as many children as possible, I don’t see why this is the better option.

    Does anyone have more insight into this?