3.8 / 5

Sign Translate

Camera recognizes sign language and displays as text in real-time

Serious

Privacy

Real-time

The Problem

Deaf signers can't communicate with non-signers without expensive interpreters

Current Solutions (Not Great)

Professional interpreters ($50-150/hr), writing notes (slow), video relay services (not in-person)

Who Needs This

Deaf and hard-of-hearing signers, their families, workplaces, healthcare providers

Deaf signers often struggle to communicate with non-signers. Sign Translate watches sign language through your camera and displays the translation as text in real-time. It works like live captions but for visual language. Use it in conversations, at appointments, or anywhere you need to be understood. Because it's local, your signing—which might discuss medical, legal, or personal matters—never gets uploaded anywhere. Communication independence without an interpreter.

Honest Take

This is one of the hardest problems in accessibility tech—Google and others have been working on it for years with limited success. Sign languages have spatial grammar, non-manual markers, regional dialects, and context-dependent meaning that make them way harder than speech recognition. Even if you scope to fingerspelling and basic vocabulary, accuracy will be rough at first. Super important problem though, and the deaf community would appreciate a privacy-respecting attempt even if it's limited.

Monetization Ideas

Ways to turn this into revenue

Freemium

Free basic, $5-15/mo for pro

Subscription

$5-29/month or $49-199/year

Donations / Tip Jar

$5-50/month from grateful users

Features

Key features that make this app valuable

Real-time ASL/BSL recognition
Text display of translation
Two-way: text-to-sign animations
Fingerspelling support
Common phrases quick access
Conversation history
Adjustable recognition speed/accuracy
Works with one or two hands visible

Build Prompt

Use this prompt with an AI assistant to start building

Build a React PWA called 'Sign Translate' using WebInfer and MediaPipe Hands. IMPORTANT: Sign language recognition is extremely challenging—scope V1 to fingerspelling and 100 common signs. UI: camera feed (front-facing), translated text display below, common phrases sidebar. Use getUserMedia for front camera. Run MediaPipe Hands to get 21 landmarks per hand per frame. For recognition: collect sequence of frames (signs have motion), extract features (hand shape, position, movement trajectory). Use generateObject with landmark sequence to return { sign: string, confidence: number, alternatives: string[], isComplete: boolean }. Display text progressively as signs complete. Fingerspelling mode: recognize letter handshapes, display spelled words. 'Reverse' button: type text, show sign video/animation (pre-recorded or generated). Phrase buttons: common phrases with sign videos. Settings: dominant hand, regional variation (ASL/BSL), recognition sensitivity. Test extensively with actual signers. Disclaimer: V1 is limited vocabulary—not a replacement for professional interpreters for critical situations.

Score Breakdown

Pain