Two University of Washington undergrads, Navid Azodi and Thomas Pryor, have invented a revolutionary smart glove called "SignAloud" for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. These gloves can translate American Sign Language (ASL) into speech and text in real time. How It Works The SignAloud gloves are embedded with sensors that capture the hand movements and finger positions of the wearer. The data is wirelessly transmitted via Bluetooth to a computer or smartphone. The system then matches the movement data against a sign language vocabulary database and, when a match is found, speaks the corresponding word aloud through a speaker. What Makes It Special Earlier translation devices required bulky equipment covering the entire forearm or needed video cameras, making them impractical for everyday use. SignAloud gloves, however, are lightweight and worn just like ordinary gloves — making them usable anywhere. This invention earned Navid Azodi and Thomas Pryor the prestigious Lemelson-MIT Student Prize in the technology world. SignAloud has the potential to bridge the communication gap between sign language users and the hearing world, helping everyone connect more easily in the digital age. Ref: Tech X