SayIt: a glove that translates sign language

Summary

SayIt is a smart glove that translates sign language into text in real time. The goal is simple to say and hard to build: make communication between deaf and hearing people easier. We got it to the stage of a working prototype.

The idea

Most hearing people don’t know sign language, and that turns everyday conversations into a challenge. We wanted to see if a glove could close part of that gap by reading the hand’s movements and turning them into text anyone can read.

A team project

SayIt was a group project with a team of six, in the first semester of my second year of Computer Engineering at Mondragon University. It covered hardware, software, networks and servers, and this page describes what the team built together.

How it works

1. Sensors: flex sensors measure how each finger bends, and an IMU tracks the movement and orientation of the hand.
2. Microcontroller: it reads the sensor data.
3. Communication: the data travels over MQTT.
4. Java app: a graphical application shows a real-time 3D model of the hand next to the translated text.

The network behind it

The project also included an enterprise-style network and server infrastructure, the kind a real company would run:

• Networking: VLANs and inter-VLAN routing, EIGRP and static routing, ACLs, port security and a WPA2 wireless LAN.
• Windows Server: domains with Active Directory and DNS.
• Linux and cloud server: BIND9, Samba, Apache, Docker, a VPN and scheduled backups.

Impact

As stated in our report, the project connects with three Sustainable Development Goals: quality education; industry, innovation and infrastructure; and reduced inequalities.

Next

Want to see something more web-shaped? Check out Enbido.eus, or say hi.