Overview of Tatum Robotics

Tatum Robotics is developing a first-of-its-kind assistive communication device for the DeafBlind community. The robot translates English into tactile American Sign Language (ASL) output, the primary (and often only) communication method of the American DeafBlind population. The product is a compliant, anthropomorphic signing hand/wrist system. The system is capable of fingerspelling accurately and quickly, with the future goal of integrating the technology into an armature system capable of actuating complex signed sentences.

The Tatum device can be connected to eBooks, emails, news sources, and texting services, making all of these sources accessible to DeafBlind people independently and in their preferred language for the first time. Established speech-to-text services will enable communication between the DeafBlind and non-signers without the need for an interpreter for every interaction.

The Tatum device would grant DeafBlind people access without sacrificing privacy and independence. Never before has tactile sign language been available for a DeafBlind person to receive privately. Tatum envisions a world in which DeafBlind people can access any media at their own convenience, learn anything they would like to whenever they want to, interact with non-signers or long-distance friends in their preferred language, and feel in control all the while.

Tatum will combine the benefits of braille and human interpreters. By creating a product that signs tactile sign language that can be used independently, users do not need to learn a difficult new method of communication (as they would with braille solutions) or wait extensive lead times for their communication goals (as they would with interpreters). Tatum aims to incorporate the convenience of a braille tablet while using the preferred communication method of the DeafBlind community.

It is important to recognize that historically, much assistive technology related to Deaf groups is meant to help signers assimilate with the hearing, English-speaking majority. Instead, Tatum Robotics understands that the target customer prefers using their primary, cultural language over English. The device does not require users to assimilate with English, instead prioritizing the language needs of the user. Designed alongside DeafBlind folks of varying demographics, the system can even be customized for language preference, speed, user interface type, and more.

Our market is all people who are DeafBlind. The US market includes 2.47 million DeafBlind Americans as well as commercial and educational markets. We will later target the approximately 160 million people worldwide with severe deafblindness. The product is for personal or commercial use in education, travel, and entertainment settings.

Additionally, there are over 200 schools for Deaf and blind children that cannot provide 1-on-1 support for their DeafBlind students that depend on tactile communication. Public spaces like libraries are still inaccessible to DeafBlind folks. Our tool would benefit the greater community by prioritizing accessibility and normalizing differences and diversity among those who otherwise never encounter deafblindness in their lifetimes. Furthermore, we can aim to benefit the global DeafBlind community as well by advancing our technology for different sign language translations and capabilities.

All hardware must be designed for a user who cannot see the device they are using. Despite the development of modern robotics, the requirements of movement patterns and tactile response for this project are especially critical. For example, modern robotics that have focused on gripping would not be appropriate due to the external geometry and limited degrees of freedom (DoF). For DeafBlind users’ ease of use, the robotic system must feel and sign like a signing partner. To serve as a telecommunication device for DeafBlind individuals, the hand—where the user will contact the device—must be anthropomorphic in size and feel.

The risks in bringing the innovation to market surround longevity of its hardware and software. Since this product would be used by novice technology users, the device must be robust while maintaining constant competitive advantage. By working with DeafBlind users and conducting longevity tests on all components and subsystems, the team will ensure that the device can be built to fit the market need for long-term use. Additionally, by ensuring that the software is maintained in the cloud instead of stored locally on the device, the team can constantly update the system with new preferences, translation logics, and dictionaries to ensure it is the most up to date.

Lastly, ASL is used in many different ways among the Deaf community. Because of this variety, the device must be prepared for any style of signing that a DeafBlind user prefers, posing some risk if the team cannot capture the nuance correctly. The project requires data collection from Deaf and DeafBlind individuals in many age groups and regions, which the team will then linguistically parse to identify patterns and develop a systematic logic. Because ASL is inseparable from the culture of the American Deaf community, this exploration will require constant collaboration with the DeafBlind community to ensure that the process is effective and ethical. Some risk exists in this area considering the nuance of culture and the importance of thoroughly understanding the culture of target users who may have vastly differing experiences.