MOTION-S Signvrse Sign Language Dataset Specifications

Version 1.0 | Release Date: TBD

Author: Anthony Marugu

Abstract

The Motion-S dataset represents a groundbreaking advancement in sign language technology, offering the first comprehensive multiview Kenyan Sign Language (KSL) corpus designed for next-generation AI applications. This dataset comprises 20,000+ professionally captured sign language sequences recorded using synchronized multi-camera arrays (6-8 cameras), delivering unprecedented 3D spatial coverage and reducing occlusion-related ambiguities common in single-view datasets.

Key innovations include: (1) Full 360-degree multiview capture enabling robust 3D pose estimation and avatar generation, (2) Integrated high-fidelity facial expression data with 468 tracked landmarks critical for non-manual markers in KSL, (3) Professional-grade audiovisual quality (1080p minimum, 30-60 fps) with synchronized speech and transcripts, (4) Enhanced BVHX format incorporating both skeletal and facial animation data, and (5) Comprehensive linguistic annotations validated by the Deaf community.

Motion-S addresses critical gaps in African sign language resources, providing researchers, developers, and educators with a versatile dataset suitable for sign language recognition, translation, avatar animation, and linguistic research. By combining 80% professional studio recordings with 20% curated academic content, Motion-S ensures both technical excellence and linguistic authenticity, setting new standards for sign language dataset development while promoting technological advancement for the Kenyan Deaf community.

Key Features:

1. Dataset Overview

1.1 Scope and Objectives

This dataset serves as the foundational training corpus for Signvrse's AI-powered sign language avatar system, enabling:

1.2 Dataset Composition

Source Category

Target Volume

Percentage

Quality Level

Professional Studio Content

16,000 signs

80%

Premium

Existing Academic Datasets

4,000 signs

20%

High

Total

20,000 signs

100%

Mixed

2. Technical Specifications

2.1 Video Requirements

Parameter

Minimum

Preferred

Maximum

Resolution

1080p (1920×1080)

4K (3840×2160)

8K

Frame Rate

30 fps

60 fps

120 fps

Duration

2 seconds

3-5 seconds

15 seconds

File Format

MP4 (H.264)

MP4 (H.265)

ProRes

Bitrate

5 Mbps

15 Mbps

50 Mbps

Color Space

Rec. 709

Rec. 2020

P3

2.2 Video Recording Setup

Motion-S implements multi-view capture to ensure signs are visible from multiple points of view, reducing occlusion and ambiguity, especially in hand movements.

Setup

Number of Cameras

Use Case

Coverage Angle

Optimal Distance

Minimum Setup

2-4 cameras

Basic 3D pose estimation in controlled environments

90° separation (stereo) or 120° (3 cameras)

2-3 meters

Standard Setup

6-8 cameras

Robust sign capture with occlusion handling

45-60° separation in semicircle

2.5-4 meters

Professional Setup

8-12 cameras

High-accuracy capture for complex signs and research

30-45° separation, full circle

3-5 meters

Camera Placement Specifications (Optimal 3 Cameras)

Position

Height

Angle

Purpose

Front Center

Eye level (1.6m)

0°

Primary frontal view, facial expressions

Side Left/Right

Shoulder level (1.4m)

±90°

Profile movements, depth perception

Synchronization Requirements:

Lighting Configuration:

2.3 Audio Specifications

Parameter

Specification

Sample Rate

48 kHz

Bit Depth

24-bit

Channels

Stereo (2.0)

Format

AAC, 320 kbps

Sync Tolerance

±1 frame

2.4 Facial Capture Requirements

Component

Specification

Supported Devices

iPhone X/XS/XR/11 series, iPad Pro 3rd gen

Blend Shapes

50+ based on FACS system

Captured Data

Face expressions + eye motion + head position/rotation

Export Formats

ASCII-FBX, Text-based format

Capture Environment

Well-lit room, stable phone mount

Distance Requirements

Within 3D camera range (not too close/far)

Head Movement Limits

Avoid extreme up/down/sideways angles

Recording Duration

Unlimited (with purchase unlock)

Live Mode

Real-time streaming via IP connection

Post-Processing

Built-in smoothing (5% noise reduction)

2.5 3D Pose Estimation Pipeline

Stage

Process

Output

Quality Metric

Calibration

Camera parameter estimation

Intrinsic/Extrinsic matrices

Reprojection error <1 pixel

Synchronization

Temporal alignment

Synchronized frames

Drift <0.5 frames

2D Pose Detection

Pose estimation per view

2D keypoints (body + hands)

Confidence >0.8

Triangulation

3D pose estimation from multiple views

3D joint positions

Cross-view consistency >95%

Temporal Smoothing

Filtering and interpolation

Smooth 3D trajectories

Jitter <5mm between frames

Validation

Multi-view consistency check

Pose quality score

Reprojection error <10 pixels

3. Content Specifications

3.1 Sign Language Coverage

Primary Languages:

Vocabulary Distribution:

Category

Percentage

Example Count

Common Words

40%

8,000 signs

Phrases & Sentences

25%

5,000 signs

Technical Terms

15%

3,000 signs

Emotional Expressions

10%

2,000 signs

Grammar & Syntax

10%

2,000 signs

3.2 Signer Demographics

Characteristic

Target Distribution

Age Range

18-65 years

Gender

50% Female, 45% Male, 5% Non-binary

Ethnicity

Proportional to deaf community demographics

Signing Experience

70% Native, 30% Fluent L2

Regional Background

60% Urban, 40% Regional

4. Data Structure & Format

4.1 File Naming Convention

Standard Format:

[LANGUAGE]_[CATEGORY]_[SIGN_ID]_[SIGNER_ID]_[VARIANT].[EXTENSION]

Multi-Camera Format:

[LANGUAGE]_[SIGN_ID]_[SIGNER_ID]_[BOOTH]_[CAMERA]_[TAKE].[EXTENSION]

Examples:

4.2 Directory Structure

SignvrseDataset_v1.0/

├── videos/

│   ├── professional/

│   │   ├── booth1/

│   │   │   ├── camera1/

│   │   │   ├── camera2/

│   │   │   └── camera3/

│   │   └── booth2/

│   │       ├── camera1/

│   │       ├── camera2/

│   │       └── camera3/

│   ├── academic/

│   ├── media/

│   └── online/

├── motion_data/

│   ├── bvhx_files/

│   ├── facial_data/

│   └── validation/

├── metadata/

│   ├── annotations/

│   ├── demographics/

│   ├── quality_metrics/

│   └── calibration/

└── documentation/

    ├── specifications/

    ├── guidelines/

    └── changelog/

4.3 BVHX Enhanced Format

Standard BVHX Components:

Signvrse Enhancements:

5. Metadata Schema

5.1 Core Metadata (Required)

{

  "sign_id": "KSL_HELLO_001",

  "language": "KSL",

  "meaning": "Hello/Greeting",

  "category": "common_word",

  "duration_ms": 2500,

  "signer_id": "S001",

  "recording_date": "2025-07-11",

  "quality_score": 0.95,

  "validation_status": "approved"

}

5.2 Technical Metadata

{

  "video_specs": {

    "resolution": "1920x1080",

    "fps": 30,

    "codec": "H.264",

    "bitrate_mbps": 8.5

  },

  "motion_data": {

    "joint_count": 59,

    "facial_landmarks": 468,

    "capture_system": "Face Cap V1.9"

  },

  "processing": {

    "pipeline_version": "1.2",

    "processing_date": "2025-07-11",

    "quality_checks": ["resolution", "fps", "landmark_accuracy"]

  }

}

5.3 Linguistic Metadata

{

  "linguistic_features": {

    "grammatical_type": "noun",

    "handshape": "5-hand",

    "movement": "circular",

    "location": "neutral_space",

    "orientation": "palm_down",

    "facial_expression": "neutral",

    "regional_variant": "standard_KSL"

  },

  "complexity": {

    "difficulty_level": 2,

    "one_handed": false,

    "uses_facial": true,

    "body_movement": false

  }

}

6. Quality Assurance Standards

6.1 Acceptance Criteria

Quality Metric

Threshold

Measurement Method

Video Resolution

≥1080p

Automated analysis

Frame Rate

≥30fps

Technical validation

Landmark Accuracy

≥95%

Manual + AI verification

Motion Smoothness

≥95%

Temporal consistency check

Expression Recognition

≥90%

Deaf community validation

Audio Sync

±1 frame

Cross-correlation analysis

6.2 Validation Pipeline

Automated Technical Validation:

AI-Powered Quality Assessment:

Human Expert Review:

6.3 Rejection Criteria

7. Data Collection Protocols

7.1 Professional Studio Recording

Multiview Equipment Requirements

Camera System:

Capture Volume Setup:

Synchronization System:

Lighting Array:

Booth Configuration Specifications

Physical Booth Setup:

Equipment Layout Per Booth:

Camera Array (3-Camera Orthogonal Setup):

Front Camera (C1):

Left Side Camera (C2):

Right Side Camera (C3):

Lighting Configuration:

3-Point Lighting System:

Lighting Requirements:

Furniture & Accessories:

7.2 Existing Dataset Integration

Processing Pipeline:

8. Studio Operations Protocols

8.1 Studio Operators Protocol

Pre-Session Setup (30 minutes)

Equipment Power-On Sequence:

  1. Power on central recording workstation
  2. Launch recording software (OBS Studio/similar)
  3. Verify all 6 camera feeds active (3 per booth)
  4. Test teleprompter systems (both booths)

Camera System Verification:

  1. Check camera sync indicators (green lights on all 6 cameras)
  2. Verify recording paths: /recordings/[DATE]/booth1/ and /recordings/[DATE]/booth2/
  3. Test sample recording (5-second test on all cameras)
  4. Confirm timestamp synchronization across cameras

Lighting Validation:

  1. Measure light levels with meter: 800+ lux at signer position
  2. Check for shadows on hands/face areas
  3. Verify color temperature consistency (5600K)

Daily Calibration Checklist

Camera Calibration (Per Booth) - 10 minutes each:

Audio/Visual Sync Test:

Recording Session Operations

Sign Recording Workflow (Per Sign):

Pre-Recording (5 seconds):

  1. Queue next sign word on teleprompter
  2. Verify signer ready position in all 3 camera views
  3. Check recording storage space (>1GB available)

Recording Sequence:

  1. START: Press RECORD ALL button
  1. DURING: Monitor quality indicators
  1. END: Press STOP ALL when signer returns to neutral pose

Quality Control Checkpoints:

Equipment Troubleshooting Guide

Camera Issues:

Recording Issues:

8.2 Signers/Talent Protocol

Pre-Recording Preparation (15 minutes)

Personal Setup:

  1. Wardrobe Requirements:
  1. Position Setup:

Sign Execution Guidelines

Optimal Signing Technique:

Spatial Requirements:

Timing Protocol:

  1. Ready Position: Hands relaxed at sides or on lap
  2. Cue Recognition: Wait for green border and countdown
  3. Sign Execution: Clear, deliberate movements
  4. Hold Position: Maintain final sign pose for 1 second
  5. Return to Neutral: Smooth transition back to ready position
  6. Wait: Remain still until next cue

Performance Standards:

Communication Protocols

Hand Signals (when audio communication unavailable):

8.3 Technical Directors Protocol

Equipment Procurement Specifications

Primary Cameras (6 units required):

Recording Infrastructure:

Workstation Specifications:

Software Configuration Requirements

Recording Software Stack:

Primary Recording: OBS Studio (Multi-cam setup)

├── Camera Control: Sony/Canon camera utilities

├── Sync Software: Tentacle Sync Studio

├── Storage Management: Custom Python scripts

└── Quality Control: OpenCV-based validation tools

Quality Validation Workflows

Real-Time Validation Pipeline:

Recording Start

├── Camera Sync Check (<0.5 frame drift)

├── Focus Validation (edge detection)

├── Lighting Consistency (±10% variance)

├── Storage Space Verification (>1GB available)

└── Backup System Status

During Recording

├── Frame Drop Detection

├── Audio-Visual Sync Monitor

├── Occlusion Warnings

├── Focus Drift Alerts

└── Recording Quality Metrics

Recording End

├── File Integrity Check

├── Metadata Generation

├── Backup Copy Creation

├── Quality Score Calculation

└── Next Recording Preparation

8.4 Coordination Protocols

Daily Briefing (15 minutes before each session)

Quality Gates and Escalation

Quality Control Checkpoints:

  1. Technical Gate: All equipment operational and calibrated
  2. Recording Gate: Each sign meets technical quality standards
  3. Linguistic Gate: Sign accuracy validated by deaf community reviewers
  4. Final Gate: Complete session review and approval

Escalation Procedures:

9. Privacy & Ethics

9.1 Data Privacy

9.2 Cultural Sensitivity

9.3 Bias Mitigation

10. Distribution & Licensing

10.1 Dataset Versions

11. Roadmap & Future Versions

11.1 Version 1.0 (Current)

11.2 Version 1.5 (Q4 2025)

11.3 Version 2.0 (Q2 2026)

Contact Information

Dataset Team:

Version Control:

This document is a living specification and will be updated as the dataset evolves. Please check for the latest version before implementation.

V1.0