Read Online Unsaid: A Novel by Neil Abramson - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Neil Abramson
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we had a pair of gloves tailored for Cindy’s hands and wired the gloves with the ILP program.
“You’ll see that she uses the gloves in conjunction with a specially designed lexigraphic keyboard that we taught her to use. The board supplements the signing and can give us the type of information that normally would be provided by the ASL speaker through what we call non-manual markers—like facial expressions, head movement, gaze direction, or mouthing. Once we run the gloves and her keyboard answers back through an ASL translation program, Cindy’s signs are almost instantly converted into English words that appear on a computer screen.”
“And for my little non-scientific mind, what does that all mean?” Wolfe asks.
“We converse. In English,” Jaycee says and then lets her answer sink in for a moment. “And you can read Cindy’s words in real time as she uses them without me trying to tell you what Cindy is saying.”
“Seeing that would be well worth the trip,” Wolfe says. “Why don’t you show me that now.”
Jaycee calls Frank on the office intercom. “We’re going to proceed with the demonstration now. Can you bring Cindy in?”
In less than a minute, Frank enters the lab carrying Cindy. She is already wearing her gloves. Frank places Cindy in the Cube, next to her keyboard, and then joins Jaycee and the others near Jaycee’s desk.
The photographer snaps a few pictures of Cindy. The flash momentarily startles her, and she shakes her head to get rid of the afterimage.
Jaycee waits until Cindy is resettled and then says, “I’m now going to engage Cindy in a conversation. Her answers will appear in English on this computer screen here.” Jaycee points to the screen next to them.
“Do you mind telling us what your first question will be?” Jannick asks.
“I was going to begin by asking Cindy to tell us her name and to say hello to the congressman, but there is no prearranged format. I can ask her any question that would be appropriate for a four-year-old.”
“Four?” Wolfe asks. He makes no effort to hide his skepticism. “You mean to tell me that this chimpanzee has the language skills of a four-year-old?”
“Correct,” Jaycee says proudly. “Cindy has the cognitive age equivalent of a four-year-old human girl. Perhaps the congressman would like to give us a question for Cindy.”
“Indeed, I would,” Wolfe answers. “Let’s ask her to name her favorite food. That seems about right for a four-year-old.”
Jaycee smiles. She’s asked Cindy that question hundreds of times and the answer is always the same—peanut butter. “Of course. First, I will sign the question for Cindy and then you will be able to see her response.”
“Actually,” Jannick interrupts, “if you don’t mind, Jaycee, I’d like to be the one to sign the question to Cindy.”
Jaycee and I both see the trap Jannick has set at precisely the same time—and way too late. This was why he didn’t try to stop Wolfe; Jannick wanted Wolfe at the demonstration so he could make his point about Cindy to the one person who could kill any further discussion of the project.
“That’s not the demonstration protocol, Scott.” Jaycee struggles to keep her voice calm.
Jannick will not be put off. “But surely the person who asks the question shouldn’t matter if the language has been learned. The words are, after all, the same words regardless of who says them. I still sign pretty well, so it shouldn’t be an issue.”
Jaycee glares at Jannick. “This is my study. Cindy is familiar with me. You can’t just step in and expect to be able to divorce the act of communication from the underlying relationship.” She turns to Wolfe and says, “Dr. Jannick has never worked with Cindy. It would be most appropriate for me to be the one to lead the interaction.”
Wolfe’s aide whispers into his ear and Wolfe nods. “Perhaps Scott is correct,” Wolfe decides.
Jannick doesn’t wait for further discussion.
“You’ll see that she uses the gloves in conjunction with a specially designed lexigraphic keyboard that we taught her to use. The board supplements the signing and can give us the type of information that normally would be provided by the ASL speaker through what we call non-manual markers—like facial expressions, head movement, gaze direction, or mouthing. Once we run the gloves and her keyboard answers back through an ASL translation program, Cindy’s signs are almost instantly converted into English words that appear on a computer screen.”
“And for my little non-scientific mind, what does that all mean?” Wolfe asks.
“We converse. In English,” Jaycee says and then lets her answer sink in for a moment. “And you can read Cindy’s words in real time as she uses them without me trying to tell you what Cindy is saying.”
“Seeing that would be well worth the trip,” Wolfe says. “Why don’t you show me that now.”
Jaycee calls Frank on the office intercom. “We’re going to proceed with the demonstration now. Can you bring Cindy in?”
In less than a minute, Frank enters the lab carrying Cindy. She is already wearing her gloves. Frank places Cindy in the Cube, next to her keyboard, and then joins Jaycee and the others near Jaycee’s desk.
The photographer snaps a few pictures of Cindy. The flash momentarily startles her, and she shakes her head to get rid of the afterimage.
Jaycee waits until Cindy is resettled and then says, “I’m now going to engage Cindy in a conversation. Her answers will appear in English on this computer screen here.” Jaycee points to the screen next to them.
“Do you mind telling us what your first question will be?” Jannick asks.
“I was going to begin by asking Cindy to tell us her name and to say hello to the congressman, but there is no prearranged format. I can ask her any question that would be appropriate for a four-year-old.”
“Four?” Wolfe asks. He makes no effort to hide his skepticism. “You mean to tell me that this chimpanzee has the language skills of a four-year-old?”
“Correct,” Jaycee says proudly. “Cindy has the cognitive age equivalent of a four-year-old human girl. Perhaps the congressman would like to give us a question for Cindy.”
“Indeed, I would,” Wolfe answers. “Let’s ask her to name her favorite food. That seems about right for a four-year-old.”
Jaycee smiles. She’s asked Cindy that question hundreds of times and the answer is always the same—peanut butter. “Of course. First, I will sign the question for Cindy and then you will be able to see her response.”
“Actually,” Jannick interrupts, “if you don’t mind, Jaycee, I’d like to be the one to sign the question to Cindy.”
Jaycee and I both see the trap Jannick has set at precisely the same time—and way too late. This was why he didn’t try to stop Wolfe; Jannick wanted Wolfe at the demonstration so he could make his point about Cindy to the one person who could kill any further discussion of the project.
“That’s not the demonstration protocol, Scott.” Jaycee struggles to keep her voice calm.
Jannick will not be put off. “But surely the person who asks the question shouldn’t matter if the language has been learned. The words are, after all, the same words regardless of who says them. I still sign pretty well, so it shouldn’t be an issue.”
Jaycee glares at Jannick. “This is my study. Cindy is familiar with me. You can’t just step in and expect to be able to divorce the act of communication from the underlying relationship.” She turns to Wolfe and says, “Dr. Jannick has never worked with Cindy. It would be most appropriate for me to be the one to lead the interaction.”
Wolfe’s aide whispers into his ear and Wolfe nods. “Perhaps Scott is correct,” Wolfe decides.
Jannick doesn’t wait for further discussion.
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