Snapchat now allows users to learn ASL Alphabet sign language with help of AR Lens

The popular photos and videos sharing platform Snap has partnered with SignAll, a company that develops sign language translation technology to launch ASL Alphabet Lens. Using the new Snap lens, people can learn the American sign language. The application shows on-screen instructions to form different shapes using one's hand that represent different letters of the sign language. 

In the blog post, Team Snap announced the launch of the first-of-its-kind ASL Alphabet Lens in partnership with SignAll. Snap mentions that it is working to "expand the way Snapchatters can express themselves and make connections through our Camera." Adding to it, Snapchat says "we hope that Lenses not only evolve the way we see the world but help us feel closer to one another."  

Here is how the Snap ASL Alphabet Lens work

The ASL Alphabet Lens teaches users to fingerspell their name, practise the ASL Alphabet and play games that inculcate new skills. The lens is built using hand-tracking technology that also powered last year's fingerspelling Lenses that were launched in honour of the International Week of the Deaf. The lens is led by Snap's Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing team members. 

As visible in the cover image of the article, the Snap ASL Alphabet Lens contains a menu that provides multiple options. Users can learn handshapes that represent alphabets, practise fingerspelling with the Snap lens and then put their skills to test by matching letters. If users tap on the first option, the Snap Lens will provide instructions for making handshapes and track users' progress with the help of hand-tracking technology. 

In related news, Snapchat users on iOS and Android will now be able to share YouTube videos via their Snaps. Most recently, the photos and videos sharing platform has announced a new feature that allows users to share a YouTube video as a part of a Snap (photo taken via Snapchat). The YouTube video will appear as a sticker in the snap and receivers will be able to tap on it to view the video. Besides, users can share songs from YouTube Music to Snapchat as well, directly within Snap. Stay tuned for more updates on Snapchat and other social media news.