Teaching ASL Signs using Signing Avatars and Immersive Learning in Virtual Reality

We present here a new system, in which signing avatars (computer-animated virtual humans built from motion capture recordings) teach introductory American Sign Language (ASL) in an immersive virtual environment. The system is called Signing Avatars & Immersive Learning (SAIL). The significant contributions of this work are 1) the use of signing avatars, built from state-of-the-art motion capture recordings of a native signer; 2) the integration with LEAP gesture tracking hardware, allowing the user to see his or her own movements within the virtual environment; 3) the development of appropriate introductory ASL vocabulary, delivered in semi-interactive lessons; and 4) the 3D environment in which a user accesses the system.