Engineers from The University of Antwerp, Belgium, have created a 3D-printed robotic arm in a bid to reduce the barrier between people with hearing loss and the real world. Named Project Aslan, it can translate both written text and spoken words into sign language gestures. /VCG Photo

The arm works through "fingerspelling", which means each letter is communicated through a separate gesture. /VCG Photo

Based on 3D-printing technology, the production cost of each device is about 560 US dollars. /VCG Photo

Although it currently still works through a computer, it is hoped in five years that the final product can be portable. /VCG Photo