Inspiration
Communication between hearing and deaf individuals often depends on interpreters or text, which isn’t always effective for those who struggle with reading. We wanted to create a simple, visual bridge — an accessible way to make conversations instant, natural, and inclusive.
What it does
SignBridge converts any text message into real-time 3D sign language animations. A hearing user types a message on a mobile app, and a Unity-based avatar performs the corresponding signs live — helping deaf users understand messages visually.
How we built it
We combined Flutter for the mobile interface, Python (Flask) as a communication server, and Unity for rendering 3D animations. • The Flutter app sends messages via HTTP POST. • Python relays messages to Unity. • Unity parses words and plays matching sign animations from a pre-built gesture library. Ngrok was used for quick external access during testing.
Challenges we ran into • Designing fluid 3D sign animations that look natural and readable. • Synchronizing timing between Flutter, Flask, and Unity in real time. • Handling unsupported words gracefully while keeping the flow of sign communication.
Accomplishments that we’re proud of • Achieved seamless real-time translation between text and 3D sign language. • Built a working prototype that runs cross-platform and requires no external hardware. • Created an intuitive system that demonstrates the power of technology for accessibility.
What we learned • How to integrate multiple frameworks across different languages (Dart, Python, C#). • The importance of human-centered design in assistive technologies. • Real-world challenges in accessibility and inclusive communication systems.
What’s next for SignBridge – Real-Time 3D Sign Language Translator
We plan to: • Expand the vocabulary using deep-learning-based gesture generation. • Support bidirectional communication (speech-to-sign and sign-to-speech). • Optimize animation smoothness and add multilingual sign language support (ASL, BSL, etc.). • Open-source the platform to empower accessibility developers worldwide.
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