New York, USA – Creative agency Hello Monday/DEPT today announced a collaboration with NVIDIA and the American Society for Deaf Children to launch ‘Signs,’ an AI-powered web tool designed to bridge communication gaps between Deaf and hearing communities.
‘Signs’ empowers users to learn American Sign Language (ASL) while also crowd-sourcing a growing dataset of ASL video content to expand accessibility and understanding.
Moreover, ‘Signs’ offers an interactive platform where those new to ASL can receive real-time feedback from an AI-driven 3D avatar, while experienced signers can contribute their skills to a dynamic, community-powered dataset.
The platform is designed for a wide audience, from eager learners of ASL to fluent signers who want to support the community by contributing videos. By participating, users help expand a living ASL resource that benefits future learners and fosters meaningful connections.
The inspiration behind ‘Signs’ stems from the success of ‘Fingerspelling.xyz,’ an AI-driven platform launched in 2021 that focused on teaching the ASL alphabet. Recognized as a valuable educational tool by the American Society for Deaf Children, it became clear that a more comprehensive solution was needed to teach the full richness of ASL beyond the alphabet.
Users can access ‘Signs’ from their phones, tablets, or desktops to start their ASL learning journey. The platform offers step-by-step guidance for beginners and opportunities for ASL-proficient individuals to contribute video content that expands the learning experience for others.
Anders Jessen, founding partner at Hello Monday/DEPT, said, “We’ve long been committed to using technology for social good, and Signs is a continuation of that mission. We are honoured to partner with NVIDIA and the American Society for Deaf Children on this initiative and believe that improving ASL accessibility is an ongoing effort that deserves attention and innovation.”
Meanwhile, Michael R. Boone, manager of Trustworthy AI Product at NVIDIA, commented, “AI is driving applications that will benefit all communities. With the Signs platform, we aim to accelerate research in areas like sign language recognition, language acquisition, and assistive technologies, helping benefit the entire Deaf community.”
It is worth noting that according to the World Health Organization, over 466 million people worldwide experience disabling hearing loss, which is expected to double by 2050. In the United States, approximately 3.6% of the population, or about 11 million individuals, consider themselves deaf or have significant difficulty hearing. This number is growing, highlighting the increasing need for tools that break down communication barriers and foster connections between the Deaf and hearing communities.
