- Sign Language for All
The Sandmännchen app allows the popular children's character to strew his magic dream-sand at the user's request. The app, also has sign language functionality, and features child-friendly controls with navigation via the remote control.
This service has been available via the HbbTV launcher bar of rbb, MDR and KiKA. The app offers direct access to the current programme and to further videos, changed weekly. This concept was developed in the FI-Content project, in cooperation between rbb's multimedia editorial team, the Institut für Rundfunktechnik and the Fraunhofer FOKUS. Following
Following this, we wondered how sign language on TV in general might be addressed. Were there possibilities for personalisation, what did users actually want from on-screen signing? In the HBB4ALL project, the rbb innovations team, with the support of test users with hearing difficulties, tested such aspects of on-screen signing as size, position and composition. Results led to design and production guidelines for rbb, the ARD and for the project partners. In the future, we hope that hearing-impaired users will be able to switch on the sign-language function and to adapt its presentation to their requirements.