The dual sensory loss of deaf-blindness is perhaps the most isolating disability there is. For the majority of deaf-blind adults, the only channel for receiving communication is through tactile fingerspelling. That is, they feel the hand of another individual as it forms the letters of a message in accordance with the American Manual Alphabet A robotic fingerspelling hand could greatly alleviate this isolation by allowing deaf-blind users face-to-face communication with those who do not know fingerspelling. It will also provide access to computer and telephone systems. Upstart Robots intends to commercialize a robotic fingerspelling device. The device consists of a human-like robotic hand connected to a box. Stepper motors inside the box move the fingers, thumb, and wrist into hand shapes resembling the American Manual Alphabet This allows deaf-blind users to tactually read letters transmitted to them by someone typing on a keyboard. The Phase II goal is to bring the fingerspelling robotic hand from its current status as an engineering prototype to small production status including development of an interface for use as a TDD. Five devices will be fabricated and tested during the grant period to pave the way for Phase III commercialization by Upstart Robots.
