Flemish Sign Language (VGT) is used daily by thousands of people in Flanders (Belgium). The Flemish Sign Language dictionary records over 11,000 signs of the VGT dictionary. In a world first, VGTC and IDLab-AIRO (UGent-imec) have introduced search functionality for this dictionary.

Searching through sign language dictionaries is nothing new, but this new development takes it to the next level. The deaf-led valorisation project “What Gebaar Jij?!” (What Are You Signing?!) has just released an AI system that enables users to search through all 11,000 signs by recording a video of a sign. For the first time ever, a sign language model can recognize virtually any sign. Previously, such models were limited to a smaller selection (often only a few hundred or a couple of thousand signs at most).

This system builds on the years of research at IDLab-AIRO into sign language recognition, and is the result of a co-creation approach to researching sign language processing. Try the search functionality yourself at https://woordenboek.vlaamsegebarentaal.be/direct-record!