New device translates sign language into spoken words

Just when you thought technology was only good for porn and melancholy IMs to your ex... A new project from Ukrainian tech group QuadSquad promises to improve the lives of millions of deaf, mute, and deaf-mute people with the new EnableTalk project, which was just unveiled at Microsoft's Imagine Cup in Sydney. EnableTalk is essentially a translator for sign language — allowing hand motions to be translated into spoken words, which would allow those who rely on sign language to "speak" to others with a previously unheard-of level of ease. Equally impressive: It's less than 10 percent of the cost of existing technology — and offers a greater ease of customization.