Abstract: Provided is a digitalization system capable of digitalizing the skills of delicate work. This digitalization system comprises a first sensor mounted on a work tool and which detects a deformation of the work tool when the work tool is pressed against a work target, a second sensor which detects a force applied to the work target or a force applied to the work tool when the work tool is pressed against the work target, and a computer which calculates an angle of a corner formed with the work tool and the work target based on sensor values acquired with the first sensor, and calculates a force applied to the work target when the work tool is pressed against the work target based on sensor values acquired with the second sensor.

Abstract: Provided is a digitalization system capable of digitalizing the skills of delicate work. This digitalization system comprises a first sensor mounted on a work tool and which detects a deformation of the work tool when the work tool is pressed against a work target, a second sensor which detects a force applied to the work target or a force applied to the work tool when the work tool is pressed against the work target, and a computer which calculates an angle of a corner formed with the work tool and the work target based on sensor values acquired with the first sensor, and calculates a force applied to the work target when the work tool is pressed against the work target based on sensor values acquired with the second sensor.

Abstract: A program for creating data causes a computer to execute the following: a step of generating a converted image, which is a whole-view image the viewpoint of which has been changed, based on a 3D model generated from a plurality of whole-view images including a plurality of work targets, a step of determining the position of a work viewpoint image, which is captured from the line of sight at which work is carried out, based on the degree of similarity obtained by comparing the work viewpoint image and the converted image, and registering, onto the whole-view image, information related to a work target on which work is carried, and a step of retrieving the work viewpoint image corresponding to the registered work target based on the positional relationship of the work viewpoint image to the whole-view image, and associating the retrieved work viewpoint image with the work target.

Abstract: The present invention provides a technique, by speech input, to specify a location, even when a name or the like of the location is not accurately known, while driving. An in-vehicle apparatus mounted in a vehicle has a speech recognition function, and stores information shown on a signboard and a noun substitute in storage. If speech inputted from a speech input device includes a noun substitute and further includes at least a part of the information shown on the signboard, a response is decided according to the information shown on the signboard, and the decided response is outputted from an output device.

Abstract: The present invention provides a spoken document retrieval system capable of high-speed and high-accuracy retrieval of where a user-specified keyword is uttered from spoken documents, even if the spoken documents are large in amount. Candidate periods are narrowed down in advance on the basis of a sequence of subwords generated from a keyword, and then the count values of the candidate periods containing the subwords are each calculated by adding up certain values. Through such simple process, the candidate periods are prioritized and then selected as retrieved results. In addition, the sequence of subwords generated from the keyword is complemented assuming that speech recognition errors occur, and then, candidate period generation and selection are performed on the basis of the complemented sequence of subwords.

Abstract: The present invention provides a spoken document retrieval system capable of high-speed and high-accuracy retrieval of where a user-specified keyword is uttered from spoken documents, even if the spoken documents are large in amount. Candidate periods are narrowed down in advance on the basis of a sequence of subwords generated from a keyword, and then the count values of the candidate periods containing the subwords are each calculated by adding up certain values. Through such simple process, the candidate periods are prioritized and then selected as retrieved results. In addition, the sequence of subwords generated from the keyword is complemented assuming that speech recognition errors occur, and then, candidate period generation and selection are performed on the basis of the complemented sequence of subwords.

Abstract: The present invention provides a technique, by speech input, to specify a location, even when a name or the like of the location is not accurately known, while driving. An in-vehicle apparatus mounted in a vehicle has a speech recognition function, and stores information shown on a signboard and a noun substitute in storage. If speech inputted from a speech input device includes a noun substitute and further includes at least a part of the information shown on the signboard, a response is decided according to the information shown on the signboard, and the decided response is outputted from an output device.

Abstract: An effective sign language learning system enables a learner to practice learner's sign language acts while sequentially confirming learner's sign language acts and model sign language acts one at a time. Two adjacent characteristic points are extracted that each represent an end of an act from sign language act data to produce a model sign language animation image. Two adjacent characteristic points are sensed from input learner's act data. The learner's sign language act data is compared to the sign language act data to produce the model sign language animation image between the adjacent characteristic points. If the difference between the data is in an acceptable range, similar processing is performed on sign language act data between next adjacent characteristic points. A type of display of the sign language animation image may be changed according to a result of the evaluation.

Abstract: Inputted sign language word labels and editing items such as speeds and positions of moving portions for specifying manual signs and/or sign gestures corresponding to the respective sign language word labels are displayed on an editing screen. These editing items are modified by the user to add non-language information such as emphasis/feeling information to the contents of communication, thereby generating modified sign language animation information data including the inputted sign language word label string having the added non-language information. For communication or interaction, the non-language information is extracted from the modified sign language animation information data and stored into a memory with the inputted sign language word label string. When a hearing impaired person communicates or interacts with another person through text, the user can emphasize the contents of communication or show the user's feeling for the contents of communication to the other person.

Abstract: A sign language telephone device is offered which enables an aurally handicapped person who uses the sign language to converse with a normal person at a distant place who does not know the sign language. The sign language telephone device is placed on the side of the aurally handicapped person, and hand gestures of the sign language inputted from a sign language input means are recognized as the sign language, and the recognized sign language is translated to Japanese. The translated Japanese word train is converted to synthesized voices and it is transmitted to a videophone on the side of a normal person. The voices from the videophone are recognized, and the recognized Japanese is translated to the sign language to generate sign language animations and they are displayed on the screen of a TV set on the side of the aurally handicapped person.

Abstract: A sign language telephone device is offered which enables an aurally handicapped person who uses the sign language to converse with a normal person at a distant place who does not know the sign language. The sign language telephone device is placed on the side of the aurally handicapped person, and hand gestures of the sign language inputted from a sign language input means are recognized as the sign language, and the recognized sign language is translated to Japanese. The translated Japanese word train is converted to synthesized voices and it is transmitted to a videophone on the side of a normal person. The voices from the videophone are recognized, and the recognized Japanese is translated to the sign language to generate sign language animations and they are displayed on the screen of a TV set on the side of the aurally handicapped person.

Abstract: A sign language editing apparatus includes a glove-type sensor for converting movement of fingers in the sign language into an electrical signal to produce time series data of sign language words, a sign language word data editing device for adding predetermined additional data to the time series data inputted from the glove-type sensor to process the time series data, a sign language word dictionary for storing the time series data of sign language words processed by the sign language word data editing device, a sign language sentence data editing device for reading out the time series data of sign language words stored in the sign language word dictionary in accordance with the predetermined characters inputted from the input unit and adding predetermined additional information to the time series data of sign language words to produce time series data of sign language sentence, a sign language animation synthesizing device inputted with the time series data of sign language sentence produced by the sign lan

Abstract: A sign language interpretation apparatus for performing sign language recognition and sign language generation generates easily read sign language computer graphics (CG) animation by preparing sign language word CG patterns on the basis of actual motion of the hand through the use of a glove type sensor to generate natural sign language CG animation, and by applying correction to the sign language word CG patterns. Further, in the sign language interpretation apparatus, results of translation of inputted sign language or voice language are confirmed and modified easily by the individual input persons, whereby results of translation of the inputted sign language or voice language are displayed in a combined form desired by the user to realize smooth communication. Also, candidates obtained as a result of translation are all displayed and can be selected easily by the input person with a device such as a mouse.

Abstract: In continuous sign language recognition, reference sign language patterns of good quality are generated. Continuous sign language patterns and reference sign language patterns are efficiently compressed. The compressed continuous sign language patterns are sequentially and directly matched with the compressed reference sign language patterns to recognize the sign language at high speed and with high precision. A reference sign pattern generating unit generates a reference sign language pattern by normalizing sample patterns while taking into consideration of their nonlinear compression/expansion and by calculating an average of the sample patterns. A continuous sign language recognition unit recognizes a continuous sign language at high speed by sequentially matching the continuous sign language of time sequential patterns with reference sign language patterns while allowing nonlinear expansion and compression in the time domain.

Abstract: An information output apparatus which outputs guide information in combination with image, text, voice and sign-language so that hearing impaired, handicapped people can easily recognize the guide information. The sign-language is automatically generated by computer graphics on the basis of text information inputted to the apparatus. A user can edit the generated sign-language. When it is desired to perform a generating operation over additional sign-language information, a transitional picture is automatically inserted between the sign-language words to provide clear discrimination between the words. The inserting manner can be specified by the user.

Abstract: A continuous sign-language recognition apparatus and input apparatus which employ expressions of template patterns of sign-language word as well as the template patterns of sign-language word to realize high speed and highly accurate sign-language recognition. Each of component patterns constituting a template pattern of a sign-language word is expressed by a feature vector representing the pattern when the pattern is a static pattern, or by a time-series pattern of a feature vector when the pattern is a dynamic pattern. Also, using the template patterns of sign-language word, different matching methods are applied to the static and dynamic patterns for recognizing each component pattern, and the respective results are integrated on the basis of a temporal overlap of the respective component patterns to continuously recognize sign-language words.

Abstract: A sign language interpretation apparatus for performing sign language recognition and sign language generation generates easily read sign language computer graphics (CG) animation by preparing sign language word CG patterns on the basis of actual motion of the hand through the use of a glove type sensor to generate natural sign language CG animation, and by applying correction to the sign language word CG patterns. Further, in the sign language interpretation apparatus, results of translation of inputted sign language or voice language are confirmed and modified easily by the individual input persons, whereby results of translation of the inputted sign language or voice language are displayed in a combined form desired by the user to realize smooth communication. Also, candidates obtained as a result of translation are all displayed and can be selected easily by the input person with a device such as a mouse.

Abstract: In a sign-language learning system, the data of sign-language desired by a learner can be outputted quickly and accurately and, moreover, in the display method matching the requirements of individual learners, and the individual learners can easily make additional registration. The sign-language data are stored in a sign-language dictionary, and desired sign-language data are searched on the basis of an entry word or contents by a dictionary search device. The searched sign-language data are displayed in a display output device in accordance with a requirement of a learner by image synthesis. The sign-language data are registered by a dictionary registration device.

Abstract: A sign language/word translation system can cope with the case where no word corresponding to a hand operation is found. The system includes a configuration for taking a countermeasure against the finding of a plurality of words corresponding to a hand operation. When a word corresponding to a hand operation is not found in a sign language word dictionary, a finger operation is input, a character corresponding to the finger operation is searched for in a manual alphabet pattern dictionary, and the character train thus obtained is found from a character word dictionary, thereby producing an appropriate word. Also, a plurality of words found from the sign language word dictionary are displayed as translation candidates, and the user inputs by a hand operation as to whether the translation candidate is appropriate or not. The translation candidate that has been decided to be appropriate is determined as the word resulting from the translation.

Abstract: A sign language translation system and method that not only recognizes words of a sign language but also supplements omitted words between the words of the sign language, to thereby generate a spoken language. The sign language translation system has an input unit for inputting at least the motion of hands, a language generating unit responsive to the inputted motion of hands for recognizing the words corresponding to the motion of hands and generating a spoken language using the relationship between the recognized words, and an output unit for outputting the generated spoken language. The sign language translation system and method can translate a sign language into an easy-to-understand spoken language.