Roadmap
This roadmap describes the current direction for ViaSign by Viathorne Labs.
It is not a fixed release schedule.
It is a living plan for how the project may grow carefully, layer by layer.
ViaSign is still early. The goal is not to rush toward a polished demo. The goal is to build a sign language accessibility system that is structured, auditable, review-first, and guided by feedback from Deaf community reviewers.
Current Stage
ViaSign is currently focused on foundation work.
This includes:
- documenting the project direction
- explaining the accessibility principles
- defining the engineering layers
- keeping the system review-first
- preparing for future community feedback
- building a safe public knowledge base through Viathorne Docs
- keeping the published safety-only parser separate from private grammar and motion research
- keeping public activation blocked until the last-verified inert FastAPI state is rechecked and the website connection is separately approved
At this stage, the work is still exploratory.
The focus is on clarity, structure, and responsibility before scale.
Public Parser Boundary
The published viasign-parser currently provides a conservative natural-English surface analysis boundary with visible review requirements. It does not provide SgSL grammar, translation, sign packets, motion, or avatar output.
An owner-approved FastAPI service was deployed separately and was last verified as internally healthy, in maintenance mode, and configured with empty CORS. Reverify that live provider state before activation. The production website remains unconfigured and disabled; custom-domain access, website activation, and visitor submissions require separate review and decisions.
Research Sequence
The longer research sequence remains:
- Parser V2
- Motion Engine
- Review Layer
- Community Review Process
- Future signing output
Each layer should be understandable on its own.
Each layer should expose uncertainty.
Each layer should support review before confidence.
Future Grammar Parser Layer
The future grammar parser layer would focus on sentence structure and grammar signals. It is separate from the published safety-only parser.
Current direction:
- identify question patterns
- identify negation patterns
- identify time markers
- identify location references
- identify topic-comment structures
- identify review-sensitive structures
- prepare motion-ready information
- keep human review visible
The parser layer should not claim to be a complete Singapore Sign Language translator.
It is a grammar and structure layer that supports later motion and review.
Motion Engine
The Motion Engine is the future movement layer.
Current direction:
- define hand pose concepts
- define motion tokens
- define signing space references
- define transition rules
- define placeholder motion safely
- connect parser signals to motion planning
- make motion decisions auditable
The Motion Engine should not only make an avatar move.
It should explain what movement was planned, why it was planned, and where review is needed.
Review Layer
The Review Layer keeps uncertainty visible.
Current direction:
- mark grammar-sensitive output
- mark motion-sensitive output
- mark non-manual signal needs
- mark signing space uncertainty
- mark community review needs
- prevent experimental output from being treated as final
The Review Layer is important because polished output can create false confidence.
ViaSign should make review part of the system, not something added after the system is complete.
Community Review
Community review is a core part of the roadmap.
Current direction:
- create structured review notes
- collect feedback from Deaf community reviewers
- record corrections clearly
- update documentation based on review
- update parser, motion, or review rules when needed
- respect contributor time, knowledge, and lived experience
The goal is not to build alone and ask for approval at the end.
The goal is to build carefully, listen early, correct often, and keep the work accountable.
Documentation
Viathorne Docs will continue to grow as the project develops.
Possible future documentation pages include:
- SgSL Grammar Notes
- Review Note Format
- Motion Token Format
- Non-Manual Signals
- Signing Space
- Parser Examples
- Motion Examples
- Contributor Guide
- Glossary
Documentation should stay clear, public-safe, and honest about what is experimental.
Future Direction
Longer-term possibilities include:
- grammar-to-motion experiments
- motion review tools
- avatar output prototypes
- sentence review workflows
- learning support tools
- public accessibility demos
- review sessions led by Deaf community members
- structured community contribution workflows
These are future directions, not promises.
The project should move only as fast as the foundation can support.
Guiding Principle
The roadmap is simple:
Build the language layer.
Build the motion layer.
Build the review layer.
Invite community feedback.
Correct the system.
Document the work.
Improve carefully.
ViaSign should grow through clarity, care, and review.
Not speed alone.
Not hype alone.
Not automation alone.
The goal is to build technology that supports access, dignity, communication, and signed languages from the beginning.