What happened: UCLA researchers (@ucla) created a smart glove that translates American Sign Language into spoken English. Details : The glove’s technology was designed by Jun Chen, a bioengineering assistant professor who believes it is more practical and convenient than existing devices that translate sign language. How does the glove work: The glove requires stretchable sensors and a circuit board to wirelessly transfer signals to a smartphone app that translates hand gestures into English, which was also developed by the researchers. The glove can analyse up to 660 different motions, has a 98 percent recognition rate, and can translate movements into words in less than a second. Feedback : “So far, the glove has received excellent reviews,” says Chen. He noted that other parents had inquired about how they could get the device for their deaf children. However, Chen estimates that improving the system’s translation accuracy for commercialization will take another three to five years.