Objective ViSiCAST will develop and evaluate Virtual Humans generating European deaf sign languages. ViSiCAST builds on SignAnim, which received two UK Royal Television Society awards for technical innovation in 1998. An English language analysis or speech recognition system drives a virtual human using data captured directly from human signers. SignAnim demonstrated that a virtual human is a valid alternative to video and could run semi-automatically. ViSiCAST will extend this work in three areas:(1) In television. Sub-titles help hard-of-hearing people who can read easily. The virtual signer will improve access for those who sign as a first language.(2) For Web and multi-media. Improved control over signed multi-media generation and delivery will increase the independence of deaf people using the Internet for communication and learning.(3) In face-to-face transactions. It will improve communication between a deaf customer and a service provider.DESCRIPTION OF WORKA key result in the first year will be a live signing system for television using a virtual human according to a new standard transmission format, trials of face-to-face communication with deaf subjects and initial web-based tools. In the second year the project will deliver an ambitious prototype text-to-signing tool and an avatar driven from HamNoSys. Key third year results include a face-to-face dialogue system, and a semi-automatic translator from text to signing implemented within a web browser. A key result in year 1 will be live a signing system for TV using a virtual human according to a new standard transmission format, trials of face-to-face communication with deaf subjects and initial web-based tools. Year 2 will deliver an ambitious prototype text-to-signing tool and an avatar driven from HamNoSys. Key year 3 results include a face-to-face dialogue system, a semi-automatic translator from text to signing implemented within a web browser. Fields of science humanitieslanguages and literaturegeneral language studiesnatural sciencescomputer and information sciencesinternethumanitieslanguages and literaturelinguisticssign language Programme(s) FP5-IST - Programme for research, technological development and demonstration on a "User-friendly information society, 1998-2002" Topic(s) 1.1.2.-1.3.1 - Systems and services for independent living Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme CSC - Cost-sharing contracts Coordinator INDEPENDENT TELEVISION COMMISSION EU contribution No data Address KINGS WORTHY COURT, KINGS WORTHY SO23 7QA WINCHESTER United Kingdom See on map Total cost No data Participants (8) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all INSTITUT FUER RUNDFUNKTECHNIK GMBH Germany EU contribution No data Address FLORIANSMUEHLSTRASSE 60 80939 MUENCHEN See on map Total cost No data INSTITUT NATIONAL DES TELECOMMUNICATIONS France EU contribution No data Address RUE CHARLES FOURNIER 9 91011 EVRY See on map Total cost No data ROYAL MAIL GROUP PLC United Kingdom EU contribution No data Address 148 OLD STREET EC1V 9HQ LONDON See on map Total cost No data STICHTING INSTITUUT VOOR DOVEN EN INSTELLING VOOR COMMUNICATIEF BEPERKTEN Netherlands EU contribution No data Address THEERESTRAAT 42 5271 GD SINT-MICHIELSGESTEL See on map Total cost No data TELEVIRTUAL LIMITED United Kingdom EU contribution No data Address THORPE HOUSE - 79 THORPE ROAD NR1 1UA NORWICH, NORFOLK See on map Total cost No data THE ROYAL NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR DEAF PEOPLE United Kingdom EU contribution No data Address 19-23 FEATHERSTONE STREET EC1Y 8SL LONDON See on map Total cost No data UNIVERSITAET HAMBURG Germany EU contribution No data Address EDMUND-SIEMERS-ALLEE 1 20146 HAMBURG See on map Total cost No data UNIVERSITY OF EAST ANGLIA United Kingdom EU contribution No data Address NR4 7TJ NORWICH See on map Total cost No data