Delivering sign language in a live planetarium show using head-mounted displays and infrared light

Abstract

Sign language narration is difficult to view at live planetarium shows because the room is dark and the signer is not located near images projected onto the planetarium dome. We have designed and implemented a system using head-mounted displays (HMDs) and infrared light to support viewing real-time sign language narration of live planetarium shows. Results from a series of 3 studies involving 29 students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing suggest that viewing properly configured video of sign language narration in an HMD may increase learning in this setting. Participants expressed no single preference regarding signer position in the video feed but did indicate that the relative brightness of the HMD must be tuned to match the apparent brightness of images broadcast on the planetarium dome. We also identified other issues related to HMD fit and the appearance of the signer in the video.