Snapchat Launches AR Lens That Users Can Use To Learn Sign Language

JAKARTA - Snapchat wants its users to understand and learn American Sign Language on its social media, by launching an augmented reality (AR)-based ASL Alphabet lens.

This new lens will later serve to teach users to spell their name with their fingers and practice the ASL alphabet. Interestingly, this lens also includes a game that users can play to test their ASL knowledge.

In this case, the social media company is not alone, it partnered with SignAll using computer vision and machine learning technology to recognize user hand movements.

The new Alphabet ASL lenses were developed by a team of deaf employees at Snap called the Deafengers. In addition, the lens is also rolling out for Snapchat users globally, on iOS and Android.

"We hope Lenses will not only improve the way we see the world, but help us feel closer to one another," Snapchat's parent company Snap said in an official statement quoted from TechCrunch, Friday, April 8.

“For native signatories, in a world where linguistic inequalities are prevalent, we believe AR can help develop the way we communicate. We look forward to learning more from our community as we strive to continuously improve the experience for everyone on Snapchat."

The company says the new lenses are an advanced version of the Finger spelling Lenses that Snap launched in partnership with SignAll last September, which are designed to teach users how to communicate using sign language.

For your information, Snap has launched several new AR lenses over the past few years and even launched a $3.5 million fund aimed at supporting Snapchat lens makers and developers using the company's Lens Studio tool.