Intelligent Malaysian Sign Language Translation System Using Convolutional-Based Attention Module with Residual Network

The deaf-mutes population always feels helpless when they are not understood by others and vice versa. This is a big humanitarian problem and needs localised solution. To solve this problem, this study implements a convolutional neural network (CNN), convolutional-based attention module (CBAM) to recognise Malaysian Sign Language (MSL) from images. Two different experiments were conducted for MSL signs, using CBAM-2DResNet (2-Dimensional Residual Network) implementing "Within Blocks" and "Before Classifier" methods. Various metrics such as the accuracy, loss, precision, recall, F1-score, confusion matrix, and training time are recorded to evaluate the models' efficiency. The experimental results showed that CBAM-ResNet models achieved a good performance in MSL signs recognition tasks, with accuracy rates of over 90% through a little of variations. The CBAM-ResNet "Before Classifier" models are more efficient than "Within Blocks" CBAM-ResNet models. Thus, the best trained model of CBAM-2DResNet is chosen to develop a real-time sign recognition system for translating from sign language to text and from text to sign language in an easy way of communication between deaf-mutes and other people. All experiment results indicated that the "Before Classifier" of CBAMResNet models is more efficient in recognising MSL and it is worth for future research.