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Thursday, August 31, 2006
GameTrak Golf
The revolutionary golf game where you swing a club to hit the ball... It sounds rather silly, but the amazing part of it is that the ball isn't real, nor is the golf court really there. It is a computer game for the PS2 or Xbox. This game has been around for a while. It predates the Eyetoy gesture games.
Recording NGT Signs ELo
The ELo project, in which I participate, aims to create a sign language tutor for deaf and hearing impaired children (age 3-5) to practice sign language. At the TU Delft, where I work, we develop and supply the gesture recognition technology. To train and test the recognizer we are recording a dataset. We are recording 121 signs with as many people as we can to capture natural variation.
Deaf kids can use the Electronic Learning Environment (ELo) for some extra practice , like any kid nowadays has some educational games on daddy's computer. It's just in sign language.
Do you want to participate? It will take you an hour of recording in our studio at the TU Delft. Traveling expenses will be covered. Use of the data will be restricted. Mail me for more info.
Deaf kids can use the Electronic Learning Environment (ELo) for some extra practice , like any kid nowadays has some educational games on daddy's computer. It's just in sign language.
Do you want to participate? It will take you an hour of recording in our studio at the TU Delft. Traveling expenses will be covered. Use of the data will be restricted. Mail me for more info.
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Technorati Tags
Since this blog features quite a bit of techy, geeky stuff on gesture recognition and sign language recognition, I thought it would be nice to start using technorati tags. Dunno how they work exactly yet or what use they are for you as a reader. Feel free to comment on what would be handy.
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Garfield Gestures More
A wrote about the gestures I saw Garfield (and Jon) make in six months of their comic a while ago. It is now the single most popular page on this site. So, I decided to browse the ones from April 2006 to now as well. (done till May 27)
Garfield:
'Real' Pointing point-caught-in-action point-rude point-focus-attention
Index-finger-up point-index-up-attention 2 3 making-a-point 2 announcement
Palm-presenting p-p-classic-triad palm-presenting-2hands-out 2 3 4
Palm-down Affectionate-granting-dismissal-wave
Palm-out 2hands-imploring-heaven 2hands-up-alert palm-out-hold-it 2 2arms-out-inspecting-self
Smile-Grin grin 2 3 4 5 6 hee-hee-laughing (and many regular smiles I just let go)
Cheer Yes!-Fist-Driving 2-Fists-high-cheer
Looks angry-look-threat eyes-wide-expectation 2 3 4 5 6 7 look-of-exasperation
Thoughtful poses lip-touch-doubt 2 3 4 arms-folded-disinterested 2 3 4 5 6 hand-chin-dreamy
Other tap-shoulder-attention elbow-stick-out-demanding guard-face-nasty grab-shirt-threat stick-tongue-out 2 sneak-around pat-comfort hide-speech-behind-hand 2 cough-for-attention amplify-speech-1h-by-mouth yawn-boring 2 dancing 1h-ear-listening
Garfield:
'Real' Pointing point-caught-in-action point-rude point-focus-attention
Index-finger-up point-index-up-attention 2 3 making-a-point 2 announcement
Palm-presenting p-p-classic-triad palm-presenting-2hands-out 2 3 4
Palm-down Affectionate-granting-dismissal-wave
Palm-out 2hands-imploring-heaven 2hands-up-alert palm-out-hold-it 2 2arms-out-inspecting-self
Smile-Grin grin 2 3 4 5 6 hee-hee-laughing (and many regular smiles I just let go)
Cheer Yes!-Fist-Driving 2-Fists-high-cheer
Looks angry-look-threat eyes-wide-expectation 2 3 4 5 6 7 look-of-exasperation
Thoughtful poses lip-touch-doubt 2 3 4 arms-folded-disinterested 2 3 4 5 6 hand-chin-dreamy
Other tap-shoulder-attention elbow-stick-out-demanding guard-face-nasty grab-shirt-threat stick-tongue-out 2 sneak-around pat-comfort hide-speech-behind-hand 2 cough-for-attention amplify-speech-1h-by-mouth yawn-boring 2 dancing 1h-ear-listening
Jon: bejeebered-yah-hoo point-index 2 shrug-2arms-stretched 2 chin-touch-thinker 2 hand-forehead-worried fiddle-bowtie lip-touch-doubt 2 palm-presenting hand-chest-air-sophistication thumb-point-self 2 making-a-point grasp-hair-desperate
Others: palm-presenting-triad point-rude stare-into-distance shrug big-grin hands-up-in-shock-and-cover-mouth lip-touch-doubt scratch-head-wonder 2arms-wide-out-welcome thumb-up
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Tuesday, August 29, 2006
Signing4Babies4Money
Not unexpected yet ever so sad: Baby signing is taking an ever more commercial direction with all sorts of commercial crap coming out. The initial research underlying the whole phenomenon was weak to start with. Now it's been misrepresented so much that it's becoming just a load of crap.
This 'baby' can now nag you about an ice cream in two languages (source)
I see for example the stuff from signing4babies (clicking this link will not earn me anything) popping up in the AdSense ads in the sidebar. I find AdSense an interesting monitor of online commercial activities related to my topics, but do not recommend the sites per se. Signing4babies is under scrutiny but appears not to be doing anything wrong. But the claims about signing babies they make, such as a boost in IQ, are ridiculous and not validated in the sense of cause-and-effect by the research at all.
This 'baby' can now nag you about an ice cream in two languages (source)
I see for example the stuff from signing4babies (clicking this link will not earn me anything) popping up in the AdSense ads in the sidebar. I find AdSense an interesting monitor of online commercial activities related to my topics, but do not recommend the sites per se. Signing4babies is under scrutiny but appears not to be doing anything wrong. But the claims about signing babies they make, such as a boost in IQ, are ridiculous and not validated in the sense of cause-and-effect by the research at all.
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Saturday, August 26, 2006
Evolution of Nipple Fascination
To what extent are we related to gorillas? Well I do not know, but we do seem to share a fascination with nipples. A very common request of Koko the signing gorilla is to 'see some nipple'. A very common request of signing babies (around 9 months) is for 'Milk', which can be nipple or bottle. Phylogeny and ontogeny meet once again? The gesture people in Chicago say gesture can be a window into our minds. And what is on our minds?
Wish you were here? (source Wikipedia)
Wish you were here? (source Wikipedia)
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Thursday, August 24, 2006
Canadian Governments Must Sign
After a fight in court, several Deaf Canadians, supported by the Canadian Association of the Deaf, got their right to equal access to government services confirmed by the Federal Court. Specifically it means that interpreters (in American Sign Language (ASL) and/or Langue des Signes Québécoise (LSQ)) should be available and paid for by the government (read more in this pdf)
LSQ is used in Quebec, does the rest of Canada use ASL? (source)
It's not the same as an official recognition (like with Flemish Sign Language, New Zealand Sign Language, or others), but a very practical result all the same.
LSQ is used in Quebec, does the rest of Canada use ASL? (source)
It's not the same as an official recognition (like with Flemish Sign Language, New Zealand Sign Language, or others), but a very practical result all the same.
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Signs of an Angry Cactus
Beware! Plants, and especially cacti, do have body language according to Connie Krochmal of BellaOnline. Suddenly, my perception of the simple cactus and plant life in general is changed. It's a blossoming horticulture out there, filled with a hitherto unknown flood of communication. A world of plant ideas and tree feelings. This cactus may really be giving us all the finger and must have been really mistreated.
Yo, bro, spare me the H2O. (by Lê Anh Tuan)
Hilarious. I wonder who they are talking to? Is my plant aware I am here? Does it think I can solve its problems? Did this symbiosis evolve in the wild? Will it resent me for doing nothing? I am pretty sure miss Krochmal will, but doubt there will be repercussions from my cactus.
But then again... (source)
But perhaps I am too hasty to dismiss the idea of communicating plants. Apparently, corn under attack from worms can put out a chemical signal that attracts a predatory wasp. Good for the wasp, good for the corn. Suppose for a moment that life exists beyond this planet. Could our dwindling forests call in the Martians?
Yo, bro, spare me the H2O. (by Lê Anh Tuan)
Hilarious. I wonder who they are talking to? Is my plant aware I am here? Does it think I can solve its problems? Did this symbiosis evolve in the wild? Will it resent me for doing nothing? I am pretty sure miss Krochmal will, but doubt there will be repercussions from my cactus.
But then again... (source)
But perhaps I am too hasty to dismiss the idea of communicating plants. Apparently, corn under attack from worms can put out a chemical signal that attracts a predatory wasp. Good for the wasp, good for the corn. Suppose for a moment that life exists beyond this planet. Could our dwindling forests call in the Martians?
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Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Right to Gesture Freely?
Thomas Burns, of New Castle (USA), contends being denied his right to free speech when he was cited for giving a construction worker the finger. The question is whether the gesture itself, unaccompanied by words, is an offense.
Pennsylvania courts ruled previously that the gesture does not automatically constitute disorderly conduct, because it is not "obscene" as defined by the law, unless it is used in a clearly sexual context.
I wonder whether it is allowed to say 'fuck you' out loud in Pennsylvania? Can anyone from the USA tell me? When is free speech overruled by other considerations?
Here is my collection of cases where people were jailed or fined for gestures. In some cases this involved giving the finger. In general I think courts pay attention to gestures, though perhaps not always enough.
Should the courts decide the finger is enough for a fine, you may consider keeping an adequately shaped cactus handy.
I wonder whether it is allowed to say 'fuck you' out loud in Pennsylvania? Can anyone from the USA tell me? When is free speech overruled by other considerations?
Here is my collection of cases where people were jailed or fined for gestures. In some cases this involved giving the finger. In general I think courts pay attention to gestures, though perhaps not always enough.
Should the courts decide the finger is enough for a fine, you may consider keeping an adequately shaped cactus handy.
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Tuesday, August 22, 2006
The Divine Roots of Sign Language?
Interested in some examples of sign language storytelling? Check out the daily devotions in ASL from Deaf Missions.
Unlike Mudras, sign language does not have its roots in mysticism. Or does it? I find that throughout a good part of history, there is a special brand of hearing people interested in sign language: preachers. Over the centuries rabbis, preachers, and imams have spent oceans of energy getting their gospels or holy messages heard by everyone. Hearing impairments can surely not take away people's right to salvation?
Sadly enough, even in the Netherlands, not the most religious country in the world, evangelising and the education of the deaf are intertwined. At Effatha-Guyot they created some sign language material on the computer but most it concerns translations of bible material into Sign Language of the Netherlands (SLN), aka Nederlandse Gebarentaal (NGT).
Unlike Mudras, sign language does not have its roots in mysticism. Or does it? I find that throughout a good part of history, there is a special brand of hearing people interested in sign language: preachers. Over the centuries rabbis, preachers, and imams have spent oceans of energy getting their gospels or holy messages heard by everyone. Hearing impairments can surely not take away people's right to salvation?
Sadly enough, even in the Netherlands, not the most religious country in the world, evangelising and the education of the deaf are intertwined. At Effatha-Guyot they created some sign language material on the computer but most it concerns translations of bible material into Sign Language of the Netherlands (SLN), aka Nederlandse Gebarentaal (NGT).
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Monday, August 21, 2006
All Blacks Never Slit Throats
The controversial new Haka Kapa o Pango of the All Blacks has a new ending. Apparently they no longer threaten to slit the throats of their opponents. Yet they insist they didn't change it. Captain Richie McCaw claims that the gesture has in fact always meant 'drawing air into the lungs' rather than a throat-cutting threat.
A breathtaking sight of young lads filling their lungs
Utter nonsense of course, everyone in their right mind saw it for what it was. If they manage to keep their little white lie going it will however be a nice way for everyone to save face.
A breathtaking sight of young lads filling their lungs
Utter nonsense of course, everyone in their right mind saw it for what it was. If they manage to keep their little white lie going it will however be a nice way for everyone to save face.
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Good preview of Xbox Gesture Games
Thank you Frank Cifaldi of Gamasutra for this 6-page review of Microsoft's Xbox 360 Live Vision Camera Technology, the Totemball game (including a demo movie), and GestureTek's technology behind it.
Is this a dagger I see before me?
Is this a dagger I see before me?
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Saturday, August 19, 2006
A Smack and a Little Pointing in the Right Direction
Some AppleGeeks can now smack their loved ones if they want them to change into something else. Just install Smackbook Pro and start whacking.
If you feel this is unjust treatment of sensitive machinery, you could try some pointing in the right direction. Just watch how fast she will turn around and do your bidding.
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Friday, August 18, 2006
Thousand-hand Guanyin dance
This 1000-handed Bodhisattva (or Guanyin) dance was performed by hearing-impaired young ladies. It is a captivating sight and warmly recommended.
Wanna read more about their group?
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Wednesday, August 16, 2006
The Perception of Insults
Am I being insulted or not? Did you ever wonder whether someone was making a rude gesture at you? But it could also be nothing, just a coincidence?
I think such situations can easily occur. People can camouflage their insults, for example by scratching their arm while giving an Italian salute (forbidden in Malta I heard?). This can be used to hide to insult from certain onlookers and to avoid repercussions. You just say you didn't do anything. On the other hand, people may be too sensitive, taking offense when none was intended.
Is this cactus giving the finger? (source Izix.com)
In Riverton, Utah (USA) a painting on the side of a house looked like a hand giving the finger but it could also be an abstract cactus. Is this a camouflaged insult or a case of extreme sensitivity? Perhaps even both. Because his neighbours are so sensitive, mr. Wood effectively manages to insult them and deny it to anyone else. (Update 24-08: After enormous media attention the rude cactus is now going away)
Is that a cactus?
In remote village Crow Edge (UK) an old man sitting outside with his injured finger in a bandage was suspected of obscene body language by his neighbours. It took a policeman to settle the matter. It has the smell of smalltown feuds all over it. Though it appears a clear matter of over-sensitivity at first sight, the old man may have taken advantage of his injury. Perhaps he did give his neighbours the finger in such a way that they would understand it. I will never know.
India coach Greg Chappell allegedly gave the finger to angry fans in 2005. The Hindustan Times showed a picture of his finger thrust out of the window of the team bus. But a team spokesman said Chappell had injured his finger during practice and he was just attending to it. He did not gesture at anybody.
When I was 16 a friend of mine (Maurits) thought he would be safe when he gave our history teacher the finger and said 'look I have a band-aid'. He was wrong. The teacher was not amused.
Note: these mistakes between insults and unintentional movements are in my view very different from cross-cultural gesture mix-up stories (where the same gesture has different meanings in different cultures). The question now is whether there is an intention to communicate or not (and not what the message is).
Is this cactus giving the finger? (source Izix.com)
In Riverton, Utah (USA) a painting on the side of a house looked like a hand giving the finger but it could also be an abstract cactus. Is this a camouflaged insult or a case of extreme sensitivity? Perhaps even both. Because his neighbours are so sensitive, mr. Wood effectively manages to insult them and deny it to anyone else. (Update 24-08: After enormous media attention the rude cactus is now going away)
Is that a cactus?
In remote village Crow Edge (UK) an old man sitting outside with his injured finger in a bandage was suspected of obscene body language by his neighbours. It took a policeman to settle the matter. It has the smell of smalltown feuds all over it. Though it appears a clear matter of over-sensitivity at first sight, the old man may have taken advantage of his injury. Perhaps he did give his neighbours the finger in such a way that they would understand it. I will never know.
India coach Greg Chappell allegedly gave the finger to angry fans in 2005. The Hindustan Times showed a picture of his finger thrust out of the window of the team bus. But a team spokesman said Chappell had injured his finger during practice and he was just attending to it. He did not gesture at anybody.
When I was 16 a friend of mine (Maurits) thought he would be safe when he gave our history teacher the finger and said 'look I have a band-aid'. He was wrong. The teacher was not amused.
Note: these mistakes between insults and unintentional movements are in my view very different from cross-cultural gesture mix-up stories (where the same gesture has different meanings in different cultures). The question now is whether there is an intention to communicate or not (and not what the message is).Tags:
Xbox 360 Gesture Game TotemBall
News today at Gamasutra: When Microsoft launches the sale of the Xbox Live Vision video camera accessory for the Xbox 360, they will include the gesture-based game TotemBall for free. It sounds very much like the 'Eye-Toy Play' package of Sony which included a whole pack of small games and exercises.
A preview? (source Gamasutra)
A preview? (source Gamasutra)
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Monday, August 14, 2006
The Social Significance of Fidgeting
Do we fidget only for ourselves or also for others? I think fidgeting is primarily regarded as something that we do for ourselves. Erving Goffman and Adam Kendon, two fine researchers of social interactions, discuss fidgeting as something that is generally disattended (not noticed). So why would anyone bother to fidget for someone else? Yet, from what I observed the last two years I get a hunch we do fidget for others now and then.
Why do we fidget when it is for ourselves? The two important motives are comfort and habit. Rubbing or stroking parts of ourselves can be pleasant. A gentle pull of an earlobe, or a small caress of the neck (disguised as a muscle massage), or a stroke of the lips can feel nice. Under stress this may comfort us. Being creatures of habit we stop to even think about these little 'creature comfort releases'. Habit can also inforce certain coinciding behaviours. For example, I started rubbing my nose when lost in deep thought when I was about 22 (I think) and now I probably always will.
I believe humans are actors. We put on a display of being very busy for our bosses and wives (or husbands). We put on an air of striding purposefully to our destinies, however unknown these may be. We wish to hide our idleness or lack of purpose from onlookers. In a society that favours productive and ambitious individuals it pays to do so.
Could it be that fidgeting is part of our armory of theatrical displays? I can find no reason to believe the opposite. It may require social sensitivity and experience to master the art of fidgeting but I think many people learn to use it to their advantage. How does it work? It is quite simple really. We assume others interpret our behaviour in a certain way. We then choose to display the behaviour that will be interpreted in such a way that others will respond the way we want them to. If we do not want to be interfered with we may choose to look busy and briskly hurry along our way.
Is Kiefer Sutherland nervous? Or does he want to look excited but in control of himself?
The human actor may safely assume two things regarding fidgeting: Others will disattend it if they can (it would be impolite of them to notice or comment on my earlobe pulling), and others will think you are nervous, restless or excited. Armed with these insights the actor can fake being nervous or excited, a useful display to gain the trust of others. A more risky assumption is that others will think that you are at least not afraid to comfort yourself. Apparently you are not scared stiff but well enough at ease to do something about your distress. This may be a useful display in situations where you wish to hide your fear. It even cuts both ways because besides the display function the fidgeting can also really comfort you, thereby relieving the fear. So next time you meet a brute in a dark alley, think about rubbing your ear rather than moving away, or stiffening up.
A final assumption can perhaps only be made with regard to people who know you well. If you always scratch your beard when you are thinking hard, you can start to fake thinking hard by scratching your beard. Now tell me honestly, did you ever try to fool people with your fidgeting?
Is Kiefer Sutherland nervous? Or does he want to look excited but in control of himself?
The human actor may safely assume two things regarding fidgeting: Others will disattend it if they can (it would be impolite of them to notice or comment on my earlobe pulling), and others will think you are nervous, restless or excited. Armed with these insights the actor can fake being nervous or excited, a useful display to gain the trust of others. A more risky assumption is that others will think that you are at least not afraid to comfort yourself. Apparently you are not scared stiff but well enough at ease to do something about your distress. This may be a useful display in situations where you wish to hide your fear. It even cuts both ways because besides the display function the fidgeting can also really comfort you, thereby relieving the fear. So next time you meet a brute in a dark alley, think about rubbing your ear rather than moving away, or stiffening up.
A final assumption can perhaps only be made with regard to people who know you well. If you always scratch your beard when you are thinking hard, you can start to fake thinking hard by scratching your beard. Now tell me honestly, did you ever try to fool people with your fidgeting?
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