10138773Signly Digital Twins – ethically boosting the BSL Translation workforceClosedCollaborative R&DInnovate UKThis ambitious 12-month Industrial Research project, led by Signly Limited (SL), is set to revolutionise British-Sign-Language (BSL) interpretation. With the development of advanced digital counterparts to professional BSL translators, the project aims to create a groundbreaking AI studio technology specifically tailored for deaf community -- Signly Digital-Studio-project (Signly). A core objective of the project is to complement human interpreters, not replace them. The digital studio will handle routine translations, such as website content and emails, allowing the scarce human resources to focus on more intricate and personal communications, such as at live events. This approach seeks to enhance operational efficiency while maintaining the essential human touch in sensitive situations. It resonates deeply with the values of privacy and self-respect for deaf individuals, offering them more autonomy in accessing information. Market-Drivers-and-Ethical-Considerations: The project addresses a critical market gap created by the limited number of BSL interpreters. The stark disparity between available Translators and the deaf population underscores a critical need for scalable solutions. Furthermore, regulations like the Equality-Act-2010 and BSL-Act-2022 necessitate improved communication methods for the deaf community, driving demand for this technology. Additionally, the project adopts an ethical business model, compensating translators for their input in updating the Digital-Studio. The project's technical design and development involves ground-breaking intricate challenges: \* Precise capture of gestures and expressions integral to BSL. \* Implementing advanced Studio-based tagger and sequencer UI for accurate English-BSL translation. \* Dynamic video blending of sign language animation videos. \* Implementing an accessible and intuitive non-linear sign language video editor. \* A dual-interface system, for easy integration on client websites and translator updates via a smart-device app. \* Recognition of cultural and regional BSL variations. \* Ensuring high data security-standards. \* Seamless integration with existing digital infrastructures. SL is already a prominent player with Microsoft's Global Reach Co-sell status, differentiating itself by having one of the biggest translation teams working in the field.