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VisuoLab international community

How has this work been funded?

The ecosystem has largely been made possible through research, development, installation and support projects carried out by Levante Lab with universities and other organisations, particularly the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC), Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and international partners including Tallinn University. Academic partner institutions These collaborations have transformed scientific knowledge into accessible tools. However, funds tied to individual contracts and projects do not necessarily guarantee the continuity of the whole team or all planned improvements. We need to expand our support network so universities, funders, organisations and Deaf communities can help sustain shared infrastructure.

Help keep sign language technologies alive

VisuoLab is an open platform. Keeping it running and improving it requires people, research and ongoing investment. VisuoLab and SignBank form a digital ecosystem for documenting, teaching, learning, creating multimodal resources and celebrating sign languages. Our goal is to make these technologies usable and adaptable by Deaf communities, universities and organisations worldwide. Levante Lab leads the technical development, design, implementation, maintenance and support in dialogue with the academic project partners. Keeping the technical team active is also essential to the security and reliability of the ecosystem. As technologies evolve and new vulnerabilities emerge, continued support enables the team to maintain and improve the platforms, address technical risks, and assist institutions and users across different VisuoLab and SignBank installations. Sustaining this expertise means investing not only in future innovation, but also in the ongoing care of the technologies and communities already relying on them.

VisuoLab is built on academic research and collaboration

The academic collaboration involves Christian Rathmann, Christian Peters and Thomas Geißler (Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin), Ronice Müller de Quadros (UFSC) and Péter Zalán Herbszt-Romanek (Tallinn University). Levante Lab connects research with technology and provides implementation and ongoing support. VisuoLab partner team Accessible technology is built by people. Approximately twelve professionals contribute across development, research, design, quality, management and support. Help sustain the team →

Our commitment: access for those who cannot afford it

We want Deaf communities and institutions with limited resources to be able to build their own sign language libraries and use accessible education and research tools.

Open technology still requires resources to install, host, maintain and adapt locally. Training and technical support also have real costs. Our proposed financing model therefore seeks to fully or partially subsidise VisuoLab and SignBank installations where communities cannot afford them.

A contribution can benefit not only existing users, but also a community that has never been able to access these technologies. The installation sponsorship programme is still being developed; eligibility, selection and funding rules will be published before applications open. Learn about sponsored installations →

Four ways to contribute

Monthly support

Support the team, corrective maintenance and the continuity of the project.

One-time support

Contribute whenever you can, in an amount that works for you.

Fund an improvement

Explore features and initiatives seeking dedicated funding.

Sponsor an installation

Help an institution or community establish its own local platform installation.
Want to contribute now? Your support helps keep the ecosystem running and expands access to sign language technologies. See monthly membership options →

Our approach to funding

We aim to combine community contributions, recurring commitments, research co-funding and institutional sponsorship. Support should not create exclusive rights or artificial barriers around openly shared resources. Published figures are planning estimates; confirmed funds are reported separately. Community contributions can be made through the Ko-fi links shown here. Project-specific funding and sponsored installations require an identified campaign or a separate institutional agreement. Sustainability plan · Fundable roadmap

Support VisuoLab’s continued development

The continuity of Levante Lab’s technical team is at risk without sustained funding.Support helps maintain VisuoLab and SignBank, improve accessibility, and sustain development and user assistance in collaboration with research partners and Deaf communities.Explore funding needs and ways to contribute →

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