Sign Language Software User Manual
Sign Language Software User Manual.
System Requirements
Operating System: Windows
Python Software Distribution: Anaconda 3, Version 2020.11
Software Packages: NumPy*, Pandas, Matplotlib, Seaborn, TensorFlow, Keras, OpenCV, PIL, SMTPLIB*, Collections*
Editors: Spyder 4.1.5, Jupyter Notebook
Google Account with SMTP access enabled.
Additional Hardware: Webcam**
*These packages come in-built. They don’t need to be installed. Those without this mark need to be installed.
**This is not required for laptops as they have an in-built webcam. For desktop computers, webcam is required.
Environment Setup
Setting up Anaconda
Log on to https://www.anaconda.com/
Hover over to Products and click on Individual Edition.
Click on download.
Once the download finishes, run the executable file and go through the installation steps. Note that the Anaconda software must be stored in a directory whose path has no spaces.
While going through the installation, there will come an option asking whether to use this software JUST FOR ME (RECOMMENDED) or FOR MULTIPLE USERS. Click on Just For Me (recommended).
Once the installation is complete, you can access the Anaconda Navigator.
Setting up the TensorFlow Environment
In Anaconda, an environment is a space where we can install libraries and program, which can be accessed only in that environment. By default, on installing Anaconda, everything comes in the BASE
environment. But we can create new environments for writing different programs. If we create an environment named ENV, and install Pandas in ENV environment, then programs done in ENV environment cannot be run in the BASE environment, and vice versa, if the BASE environment does not have Pandas.
TensorFlow is a special software which cannot run in Anaconda (base) environment. It needs an environment of its own. To create a new environment, click on environments.
Click on the create button, type tensorflow (in lowercase), and click on create.
Click on tensorflow.
Go to the drop-down menu and select Not Installed.
In the Search Packages text box, type tensorflow
Click on the checkbox near tensorflow, and click Apply. Follow the on-screen instructions for installing TensorFlow. Do the same for Keras, OpenCV and Pillow (* If it is not there in the Not installed section, it might have already been installed). Now the TensorFlow environment has been set up.
Setting up Spyder and Jupyter Notebook
For coding, Spyder and Jupyter Notebook are necessary.
Choose TensorFlow in this dropdown.
Click on Install near Spyder. This will install Spyder. Do the same for Jupyter Notebook. This step is required only if you will modify or update the software. Otherwise setting up of Spyder and Jupyter Notebook may be skipped.
Setting up your Google Account
In order to send mails via Python Scripts, we need to reduce the security of the Gmail account. SMTP is a less secure protocol, which is, by default, denied by Google. By changing this setting, your Google account may be exposed to security threats by other third party software. Hence it is advisable to create a new Google account for using this software alone, and having SMTP enabled, and keeping the newly created Google account confidential for other purposes.
Create a new Google account and login to it. Click on Manage your Google Account.
Scroll down till you reach this point.
Click on this and give the necessary permissions.
Setting up Environment Variables
In order to run the software properly, some of the system environment variables need to be set.
https://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000549.htm
Refer this link for setting up environment variables.
Create a new folder called conda_tmp (precisely that name) in your C drive.
Reset the locations of the TEMP and TMP variables to C:/conda_tmp
Create an environment variable ANACONDA_PATH (precisely that name) to C:\Users\Anaconda3\Scripts, assuming that your anaconda system is installed in C:\Users\Anaconda3.
Uninstalling Anaconda Distribution
https://docs.anaconda.com/anaconda/install/uninstall/
Follow this link for anaconda uninstallation. You might want to uninstall the existing Anaconda and reinstall Anaconda to avoid some errors. After uninstalling, remove all the patches manually by typing anaconda in the search bar and removing all Anaconda related software.
Software Installation
Unzip the zip file downloaded. Or run the exe file and follow the on screen steps. Note that the software is ABSOLUTELY SAFE TO USE.
Double click on sign-language.bat. Follow the on screen instructions, and when the panel comes, tune it to just hold the finger and keep the entire background black. Tune the filter and reduce the image size using the panel.
Press 1 for sending alphabets, 2 for numbers and 3 for quitting.
Press N on the keyboard to capture an image. As many times N is pressed, so many times the image will be captured.
Press ESC on the keyboard to capture the current image and stop capturing. If I press 5 times N and then ESC, the output must be “zzzzzz” (or 6 times z). It is because the sign above corresponds to Z.
Now enter your email id (the one which you created just now, with SMTP enabled), password, and the email-id whom you want to send. Follow the screen instructions to come back to the main menu.
Press 3 when you are done.
Uninstalling the software
Delete the sign-language folder.
Scope of the software
Note that the software can be unzipped in multiple locations without any conflict. It can also be used to predict strings of letters and numbers.
Further Improvements Possible
This software can be improved to include gestures for simple sentences like hello, sorry, thank you, etc. For this a new program should be written to create a dataset, and a new CNN formed to classify these gestures. Also if a gesture for space and a full stop are included, it is possible to communicate sentences.
Interested in this software?
Click Here to download.
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