Special Issue on Sign Language Translation and Avatar Technology CALL FOR PAPERS: Machine Translation Journal Special Issue on Sign Language Translation and Avatar Technology https://www.springer.com/computer/ai/journal/10590/
EDITORS: * Annelies Braffort * Eleni Efthimiou * Thomas Hanke * Rosalee Wolfe Spoken-to-signed language translation and signed-to-spoken translation present a host of challenges orthogonal to the considerations of conventional MT efforts. This is due in part to the difference between the modalities of spoken languages that have a written form, and the visual modality of signed languages, which have no generally accepted written form. However, recent advances in virtual character technology and a common trend toward the 3D internet have the potential to achieve full accessibility for the deaf in the internet and to provide key tools to facilitate participation in a hearing world. Prior work on the topic of sign language translation using avatars has explored an impressive range of methods in various languages and application domains. Effective projects have profited from joint efforts of international researchers to identify and specify the problems in this unique subfield of MT in specific areas, such as translation and sign language recognition and animation. We focus on three main topics: translation of sign language, animation of sign language using avatars, and usability evaluation of practical translation and animation systems. As noted in a recent workshop of deaf and hearing researchers and experts from various scientific disciplines and professions (see https://arxiv.org/abs/1908.08597), several challenges have hampered current progress in automatic processing research. These include the lack of linguistic background which often leads to an oversimplification of SL representation to a simple sequence of glosses, a distortion of the imagined usefulness applications in relation to concrete demands from the field, and finally to a lack of integration of Deaf signers into research projects. Therefore, we particularly encourage submissions that propose innovative approaches that attempt to address these challenges. Topics SIGN RECOGNITION * Data acquisition methods * Processing methods, including dimension reduction and feature extraction * Supervised and unsupervised and neural net techniques * Multidisciplinary approaches that also utilize sign linguistics TRANSLATION * Lexicographic and linguistic approaches * Use of corpora to inform translation * Modelling of signing space for translation * Handling of productive signs, classifier constructions, and constructed action * Incorporation of non-manual features in production * Consideration of emotional and prosodic aspects AVATAR ANIMATION * Requirements for signing avatar technology * Linguistically-informed notations for gestural animation * Use of corpora to inform animation * Realistic animation of manual and bodily gestures * Flexibility in animation of facial gestures and mouthing USABILITY * Evaluation results for practical translation systems * Evaluation methodologies for signing translation systems * Realism and acceptability of signing avatars * Efficient content creation and editing tools for signing texts IMPORTANT DATES * January 20, 2020: Expression of interest (EOI) * June 22, 2020: Submission deadline * October 30, 2020: Camera-ready papers due * March 31, 2021: Publication SUBMISSION GUIDELINES * Authors should follow the "Instructions for Authors" on the MT journal website * Go to https://link.springer.com/journal/10590 * Recommended length of paper is 15 pages * Papers should be submitted online on the journal's submission website via selecting this special issue *Prof. Andy Way* Deputy Director, ADAPT Centre School of Computing p: +353 1 700 5074 Dublin City University m: +353 87 221 4890 Dublin 9 e: [email protected] <[email protected]> Ireland www.computing.dcu.ie/~away <http://www.adaptcentre.ie/> <https://twitter.com/adaptcentre> <https://www.facebook.com/ADAPTCentre?fref=ts> <https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9--qVutTtyLyhZCJR7rY5g> <https://www.linkedin.com/company/adapt-centre> *A World-Leading SFI Research Centre*
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