Dr. Sevgi Z. Gurbuz received her first NSF award from the Cyber-Physical System program, entitled “CPS: Small: Collaborative Research: RF Sensing for Sign Language Driven Smart Environments.” The award is collaborative with Mississippi State University and involves joint research with Dr. Chris Crawford, Dr. Darrin Griffin and Dr. Evie Malaia at the University of Alabama. Dr. Caroline Kobek Pezzarossi is a Professor of Psychology at Gallaudet University and will be collaborating as an advisor on the project. Gallaudet University is the nation’s only university where American Sign Language is the primary language of instruction.
The project aims at designing RF sensing systems, and related algorithms, for sign language recognition to improve the interaction of smart environments, personal assistants (e.g. Alexa, Siri, etc), and other devices with individuals who are Deaf or who use sign language as their preferred method for communication.
The project also represents the first to propose and investigate RF sensing (a.k.a. radar) for sign language recognition. Radar has uniquely beneficial characteristics, such as being non-contact, privacy protecting, and operable even in the dark, when there is no light. It also acquires unique measurements that make it well suited to characterizing human motion, especially in the depth direction, where video typically has lower resolution. As such, radar can be a game changer in the design of sign-language driven smart environments.