Chatsign Widens Access Through Real-Time Signing Arabian Post

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Arabian Post Staff -Dubai

Abu Dhabi has gained a new artificial intelligence venture aimed at removing one of the most persistent barriers facing deaf and hard-of-hearing people: the absence of instant, affordable sign-language interpretation in everyday public services.

New York University Abu Dhabi has launched ChatSign, a commercial AI spin-out developed from research at its Embodied AI and Robotics Lab. The system translates spoken Arabic and English into sign language in real time and supports both American Sign Language and Emirati Sign Language, with work continuing on wider sign-to-speech and text-to-sign functions for public deployment.

ChatSign Technology is headquartered in Abu Dhabi and registered in Abu Dhabi Global Market. Its founding team includes Associate Professor Yi Fang, director of the Embodied AI and Robotics Lab; Zhifei Maggie Li, a Class of 2026 student completing a double degree in computer science and mathematics; and Zhenhua Li, chief product officer and senior research engineer at NYU Abu Dhabi.

The launch positions ChatSign at the intersection of accessibility, applied AI and university-led commercialisation. The technology is designed for service counters, government offices, transport hubs, health facilities, schools, universities, museums, shopping centres and other spaces where deaf and hard-of-hearing visitors often depend on written notes, family members or pre-booked interpreters to complete routine interactions.

Its developers say the platform can convert speech into signs through a digital avatar and process sign input through computer vision to generate spoken output. The company's product range includes portable dual-screen stations for smaller spaces, larger full-body avatar displays for airports and government offices, and media-interpreter systems that can convert recorded audio or video material into sign-language content for museums, public institutions and digital platforms.

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The commercial model reflects a broader push in Abu Dhabi to turn university research into intellectual property-led companies. ChatSign has moved from a research prototype to a patent-protected system and has already been tested before a live audience of more than 200 people. It is also being positioned for use at major events, including university ceremonies and public gatherings where real-time announcements can be signed for deaf and hard-of-hearing attendees.

Global demand for such technology is substantial. More than 430 million people require rehabilitation for disabling hearing loss, and that number is projected to rise sharply as populations age. More than 70 million deaf people worldwide use sign languages, which vary by country and region rather than forming a single universal language. That linguistic diversity has made automated sign translation more difficult than conventional speech translation, increasing the value of systems trained for specific spoken and signed languages.

ChatSign's focus on Arabic and English, alongside American and Emirati Sign Language, gives it a practical base in the UAE's multilingual service environment. Public-facing institutions in the country serve residents, citizens, tourists, students and workers from diverse language backgrounds, making communication access a recurring challenge across front desks, classrooms, hospitals, airports and cultural venues.

The company has emphasised that the product is not intended to replace human interpreters. Instead, it seeks to fill gaps in availability, cost and response time. Human interpreters remain essential in legal, medical, educational and sensitive social settings where nuance, consent and cultural fluency are critical. AI tools, however, can provide round-the-clock support for standardised communication, directions, announcements, basic service requests and information access.

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Accuracy and trust will be central to ChatSign's expansion. Sign languages have their own grammar, facial expressions, spatial structures and cultural context, meaning direct word-for-word conversion from spoken language can produce errors or unnatural signing. The company's continued engagement with deaf and hard-of-hearing users in the UAE will therefore be important in refining vocabulary, avatar movement, facial expression, regional variation and context-specific interpretation.

The technology also raises operational questions for public-sector and private-sector buyers. Institutions adopting AI interpreters will need to assess data privacy, device security, offline functionality, maintenance, liability for mistranslation, and whether deaf users find the system acceptable in real service settings. ChatSign says its hardware can operate offline, a feature that may appeal to organisations handling sensitive conversations or working in locations with unreliable connectivity.

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