The research team from the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center at Posts and Telecommunications Institute of Technology (PTIT) recently presented a mid-term report at Samsung Vietnam, reviewing the progress of their project titled “Smart Application Using AI Action Recognition Model to Help the Hearing Impaired in Vietnam Learn Sign Language and Communicate with Hearing People.” Samsung approved $20,000 in funding for the project in 2023.

The main goal of the project is to utilize information technology, particularly AI and computer vision, to develop an application that can be accessed through smartphones or web browsers. This app is designed for individuals with hearing impairments, as well as their families or caregivers, who may have limited IT knowledge but can still use the app to look up, learn, and translate sign language.

The research team expects that the project will provide an effective tool for hearing-impaired individuals and their support networks in Vietnam, especially those who cannot attend specialized schools, enabling them to learn sign language independently. The translation feature is also expected to help the hearing impaired communicate with others, ultimately improving their access to public services and enhancing their quality of life.

Since the project’s initiation, a dataset of 100 words and 15,000 videos has been developed. The team has tested various machine learning models, including client-server architecture and edge computing. The project is currently in the testing and prototyping phase, focusing on developing practical and user-friendly solutions for sign language education and translation in Vietnam.

In 2023, Samsung Vietnam approved $20,000 in funding for PTIT’s project as part of the comprehensive partnership program between PTIT and Samsung Vietnam for the 2023–2025 period, which includes STP Scholarships, lab operations, research collaborations, and training and recruitment initiatives.