Type what a driver needs to say. Claude turns it into ASL and Doug checks and approves it. Once Doug has recorded the signs on the Signs to record tab, the avatar signs it with his own motion.
DraftTranslatedApproved by Doug
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Pick a phrase to see its ASL.
Doug
FaceHis rightHis left
Avatar
FaceHis rightHis left
frame 0
The avatar is driven by Doug's tracked motion, frame for frame: 21 points per hand, 478 points on the face, plus arms and shoulders. Nothing is generated or guessed. Expression strength scales his face away from his resting face, so you can test how dramatic it needs to be. Drag the avatar to turn it. Conference video is used here only to test the avatar. The product will use recordings Doug makes for it.
0 of 0 recorded
Doug's recording session: 20 batches, one short phone video per batch, signed in the order shown. Step-by-step setup is on the Instructions tab.
Other signs used in translated phrases
Signs Claude or Doug used that aren't in the 20 batches. Record these in a final batch.
Sign
Used in
Example phrase
Recorded
None yet.
How it works. Type what a driver needs to say. Claude turns it into ASL and Doug checks and approves it. The avatar then signs it, using a library of signs Doug records once. Right now the library is empty, so translations work but the avatar can't sign them yet. Doug's recording session below fills the library. It is built for short scripted messages, not live conversation. For anything medical, legal or complex, staff should still get a live interpreter.
Doug: your recording session, step by step
You'll record about 200 signs, letters, numbers and test sentences in 20 short videos, one video per batch. It takes about an hour. The batches are on the Signs to record tab. Keep that tab open on a laptop or tablet next to you so you can read the list while you sign.
What you need
An iPhone and something to hold it steady, such as a tripod or a stack of books.
A plain wall behind you and a window or lamp in front of you, not behind you.
A solid dark shirt. Take off rings and your watch.
Set up the camera (10 minutes)
On the iPhone, open Settings, then Camera, then Record Video, and choose 1080p at 60 fps.
Turn the phone sideways and set it at chest height, about 6 feet away.
Frame yourself from just above your head to your waist, with room for your elbows on both sides.
Record a 5-second test and play it back. Your fingers should look sharp, not blurry, and your face should be evenly lit.
Record each batch (about a minute each)
Start recording and say the batch number out loud, for example "batch 3".
Rest your hands at your waist for 2 seconds.
Sign the first item once, the way you'd sign it on its own to a Deaf rider, with your natural mouthing.
Bring your hands back to rest and pause for a full second.
Do the same for every item in the batch, in the order listed.
Rest for 2 seconds, then stop recording.
On the Signs to record tab, press Mark whole batch recorded.
Made a mistake? Stop, delete that video and record the whole batch again. It's only 10 items.
Would you sign something differently, or fingerspell it? Do it your way and write a quick note in that batch's notes box. Your choice is the right one for Utah.
Letters and numbers: hold each handshape for a beat so it's clear.
Test sentences (batch 20): sign each sentence naturally at normal speed with full facial grammar, and rest between sentences. These let us compare the avatar against your real signing.
Send the videos
AirDrop them to Mark, or upload them to a shared Google Drive folder. Don't send them by text message. Texting shrinks the video and blurs your fingers. Mark passes them to Claude, which tracks each sign and adds it to the avatar's library.
Doug: reviewing translations
Type a sentence at the top of Phrases, or pick one from the list, and press Translate to ASL. Claude writes out the signs in order plus the face and head grammar, using the signs from your recording list wherever they fit.
Read Questions for Doug. These are the spots Claude was unsure about, such as regional signs or word order.
If anything is wrong, open Correct this translation, fix it, then press Save corrections.
When it's right, press Approve (Doug). The dot turns green. Press Reopen to change it later.
Every approval teaches the next draft. Claude reads up to 12 of your approved translations each time and follows your choices.
How to write the gloss
WHEEL-CHAIR
One sign. Capitals, with hyphens joining words that make one sign.
fs-UTA
Fingerspell the letters after fs-.
#5
A number sign.
IX-YOUIX-LOC
Point to a person or a place.
CL:3
A classifier. Add a short description after the colon.
How to write face and head grammar
One per line: the marker, the sign numbers it covers (counting from 1) and an optional note. For example wh-q 3-4 or mouth 2-2 MM.
wh-q
Brows down for who, what, where, when and how questions
y/n-q
Brows up for yes or no questions
neg
Head shake
affirm
Head nod
topiccond
Brows up over a topic or an if-clause
mouth
A mouth morpheme such as MM, OO, CHA, CS, PAH or puffed cheeks
intensity
Stronger face and movement
Drivers and staff
Type what you need to say in Type a sentence at the top of Phrases, or pick a phrase from the list.
Look for a green dot. Green means Doug has approved that translation.
When a phrase says Ready to sign, press Play on avatar and turn the screen toward the rider.
Play on avatar turns on for a phrase once Doug has recorded every sign in it.
Avatar check
This tab tests how faithfully the avatar copies Doug, using five sentences from one of his talks. Doug's video plays on the left and the avatar on the right, driven by his tracked hands, fingers, face and mouth frame by frame.
Pick a sentence at the top, then use Play, the frame buttons and slow speeds to compare.
The Check moments buttons jump to pressed lips at frame 59, lips pushed forward at 94, the strong purse at 153, expressive eyes at 202 and the scissor fingers.
Expression strength pushes the avatar's face further from its resting face. Start at 1.4×. Ask Deaf viewers which setting reads closest to Doug.
Drag the avatar to turn it and press Reset view to face it forward again.
What the dots mean
Gray: not translated yet.
Gold: translated by Claude and waiting for Doug.
Green: approved by Doug.
The starting phrases are drafts. Fares, booking times and other policy details need to be checked with UTA before riders see them.