A DSP based videophone for the hearing impaired using valledge processed pictures

Author

Whybray, H.W. ; Hanna, Emil

Author_Institution

British Telecom Res. Lab., Ipswich, UK

fYear

1989

Firstpage

1866

Abstract

An image coding algorithm that enables hand sign language to be used for conversation between the deaf over a telephone network is described. A so-called valledge detector produces cartoonlike images at a resolution of 64 pels by 64 pels. The images are compressed using a block oriented algorithm and transmitted at 9.6 kb/s using full duplex modems. TMS32010 digital signal processors are use to implement the coding algorithm in real time. Preliminary tests using 14 profoundly deaf hand signers were very positive, indicating that the valledge-detected pictures are usable for fairly normal hand signing conversations, with only mildly impaired efficiency compared to full-bandwidth video pictures

Keywords

computerised picture processing; data compression; digital signal processing chips; encoding; handicapped aids; videotelephony; 9.6 kbit/s; DSP based videophone; TMS32010 digital signal processors; block oriented algorithm; cartoonlike images; deaf; full duplex modems; hand sign language; hearing impaired; image coding algorithm; image compression; telephone network; valledge detector; valledge processed pictures; Auditory system; Deafness; Detectors; Digital signal processing; Handicapped aids; Image coding; Image converters; Image resolution; Signal processing algorithms; Telephony;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Acoustics, Speech, and Signal Processing, 1989. ICASSP-89., 1989 International Conference on

Conference_Location

Glasgow

ISSN

1520-6149

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/ICASSP.1989.266817

Filename

266817