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The Hearthstone team

About Hearthstone

We're a student-built community dedicated to bridging the barrier between the Deaf and Hearing communities by making sign language more accessible

Our Story

Where it all
began

Project Hearthstone started with a simple but puzzling question: why is communication still a barrier in 2026? Three high school students, passionate about technology and social equity, decided that they weren't willing to accept the status quo.

What began as a hackathon prototype evolved into a whole student-led organization dedicated to building AI-powered sign language transcription and learning tools, to bring sign language to a wider audience.

Today, Project Hearthstone spans several committees, more than thirty passionate members, and a growing suite of affordable, ergonomically-engineered products all aimed at making communication more accessible for all - a right, not a privilege.

2025

The Spark

Project Hearthstone was founded on the concept of an ASL-translating glove

Late 2025

Grant Win

Our founders applied for the Nord Anglia Social Impact Grant, and won more than $2600, which they've dedicated to intermixing AI and accessibility to lessen the communication gap by expanding Project Hearthstone's prototype diversity

Early 2026

Building the Team

We expanded to six core committees: technology, management, marketing, social outreach, art & design, and finance

2026 -

Scaling Impact

Working with other organizations and potential expansion to other countries

Our Motivation

Why We Built Hearthstone

When we first built a prototype that could recognize a handful of ASL signs, we realized something uncomfortable: millions of people had been waiting for this for decades, and no one had made it simple, free, and accessible.

A Note From the Founders

I believe that without the ability to innovate to resolve problems, we cannot advance as a species. In the modern society, there exists issues that require critical thinking and committment to be able to solve, and that is something that I wish to embody through Project Hearthstone. The effort that our community has put forward so far has astounded me, and their dedication to contribute to society in meaningful ways is heartwarming.

Sresht Founder & Head of Technology

I live with my grandmother, who is Deaf. We communicate with her through a mixture of lip-reading and gestures. Since a young age, I've had to come up with innovative methods to communicate with her, and because neither of us knew any formal sign language, some information would get lost in translation, making communication difficult. Because this is something that's close to home, I understand to a relatively large extent the impact that this type of technology would have on other people in similar situations. That is my motivation for contributing to the way that we strive to get rid of communication barriers, especially when the technology that we need to address them already exists - it just needs to be innovated upon.

Myra Co-founder & Head of Marketing

I joined because I wanted to build something with real stakes, not just a class project. Watching it grow into a team and a real set of tools people use has been the most rewarding part of this for me.

Aryan Co-founder & Head of Technology

What We Stand For

Our Core Values

Accessibility First

Every product starts with one question: is this usable by everyone? Accessibility is not a feature — it is our foundation.

Community-Centered

We build with the deaf and non-verbal community, not just for them. Real impact requires genuine partnership and listening.

Innovation with Purpose

We harness AI not for its own sake, but because it gives us the best tools to solve real human problems.

Education as Empowerment

Knowledge breaks barriers. Teaching ASL and building awareness is just as important as building technology.

Heard From the Community

Voices that guide us

SignBridge is a step toward something we've needed for years — a way to be understood in everyday situations without needing an interpreter on standby.

JM

Jordan M.

Deaf community advocate

My students used the ASL course as a supplement in class. The interactive format made it approachable even for kids who had never seen sign language before.

RP

Rachel P.

Special education teacher

What impresses me most is that they actually talked to us before building. That kind of humility is rare in student projects — and it shows in the product.

DK

Dev K.

Hard-of-hearing software engineer

Common Questions

Myths we debunk

Is ASL the same as sign language everywhere?

No. American Sign Language (ASL) is distinct from British Sign Language (BSL), French Sign Language (LSF), and over 300 others worldwide. They are separate, fully-formed languages — not gestured versions of spoken languages. ASL is even grammatically different from English.

Do all deaf people use sign language?

Not necessarily. Many deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals use lip-reading, written communication, cochlear implants, or a combination. Hearthstone's tools aim to serve all of these communication styles, not only signed language users.

Can an AI really understand sign language accurately?

Current AI models like SignBridge can recognize discrete signs with strong accuracy under controlled conditions, but full conversational ASL — including grammar, facial expressions, and spatial syntax — remains an active research challenge. We're honest about our limitations and publish model accuracy publicly.

Is Project Hearthstone free to use?

Yes. All of our tools — SignBridge, the ASL Learning Course, and the Hearthstone Hub — are free. Accessibility should never be paywalled. We sustain the project through grants, partnerships, and school sponsorships.

Are you affiliated with any deaf organizations?

We are actively building partnerships with deaf community organizations and school districts. See our Partners section below. If you represent a deaf-focused organization and want to collaborate, we'd love to hear from you.

Recognition

Press & Awards

Hackathon 1st Place ASL Recognition — Regional STEM Fair 2023
Competitive Grant AI & Accessibility Innovation Fund, 2024
Featured Article Student-led AI for the deaf community
Conference Speaker Youth & Accessibility Tech Summit, 2024

Who We Work With

Our Partners

Local School Districts

Piloting the ASL Course in special education and inclusive classrooms.

Deaf Community Centers

Community advisors helping shape SignBridge to real-world use cases.

University Research Labs

Academic partnerships supporting our computer vision model development.

Accessibility Nonprofits

Aligned organizations helping us reach underserved communities worldwide.

Want to partner with us? Reach out →

The People Behind It

Meet the Team

Hearthstone is powered by students who care deeply about equity, technology, and the people our work serves. Organized across five committees, each member brings something unique to the mission.

Open Roles

We're growing.
Come build with us.

Hearthstone is a student-led team. We welcome motivated students from any background — no prior experience required, just genuine curiosity and drive.

Management Strategy, ops, and organizational leadership
Technology AI, embedded systems, computer vision, web development
Social Impact Community outreach, partnerships, advocacy
Marketing, Art & Design Content, design, social media, social presence
Finance Grants, budgeting, and financial planning
Apply to Join →