Sign language is a great skill to learn, and we're here to teach you all the basics. Signing the alphabet is really simple, but with practice, it'll let you sign anything!

The team has also experimented with virtual reality devices like Oculus Rift and Kinect to take advantage of the 3-D landscape. "Sign language is a 3-D language," Malzkuhn says.

ASLAN stands for Antwerp’s Sign Language Actuating Node – and the robot can be 3-D printed from 25 pieces of plastic, meaning it costs as little as $560 to make.

But as she got older, Jenny’s interest in sign language grew. She became more involved in her local D/deaf community when she reached middle school, and began to study the language independently.

The District is a hotbed of sign language, says Melissa Malzkuhn, who works in creative research and development at Gallaudet University. That’s thanks largely to her employer, which draws about ...