Hand Talk

Hand Talk is an accessibility technology company founded in 2012 that builds AI-powered tools to bridge communication between deaf and hearing people. Its technology translates written content into sign language automatically, drawing on artificial intelligence, natural language processing and computer vision to animate virtual human translators. The company describes itself as the largest platform for automatic sign language translation in the world, with more than 1 billion words translated.

Two products carry most of the work. Hand Talk App is a mobile application for learning and translating sign languages, featuring virtual translators Hugo and Maya, and serves more than 15 million users a year. Hand Talk Plugin embeds into websites to translate their content into sign language for deaf visitors. The company operates in accessibility, education, consumer communication and enterprise web accessibility, and works with specialists in building its systems.

Headquartered in Maceió, Brazil, Hand Talk also has a presence in the United States and the United Kingdom and works with a global user base. Its guiding motto, "Nothing About Us Without Us", reflects a practice of treating people with disabilities as essential partners in product development. The company was named "World's Best Social App" by the United Nations and has been acquired by Sorenson Communications, extending its reach in the accessibility market.