BAR LIS: A Web Tool for Italian Sign Language Synthesis and Interaction

This work presents the development and testing of BAR LIS (BAR in Italian Sign Language), a web application created in collaboration with the Ancona division of Ente Nazionale Sordi (ENS) and presented during X Masters Awards 2012 event in Senigallia, Italy. BAR LIS was structured as a small dictionary of words and related signs in LIS, Italian Sign Language (presented as 3D rendered animations) in order to ease communication between people attending the X Masters event and hearing impaired personnel of the ENS stall, which included a small coffee shop. A more extensive set of words was later created and tested with ENS members in order to study the impact of resolution of 3D models on comprehensibility and quality of the signs.