Krakow Students Build AI Sign-Language App

13 July 2026 Poland Radar 0 Comments

Students in Kraków launched a sign language translator app using AI to turn gestures into text, improving everyday access.

Students at Cracow University have built a sign language translator app that converts hand gestures into text. The team released their prototype called “Rozumiemy się bez słów.” Consequently, the project uses computer vision and machine learning to map gestures to written words.

Table of Contents

Sign language translator app: what the team built

The students—Dmytro Burkovskyi, Oleksii Izvarin and Illia Kostruba—developed the core models at the Politechnika Krakowska. Moreover, they trained algorithms to recognise hand shapes and movement. The app processes live video and returns readable text. In addition, it runs on common smartphones, so users can try it without special hardware. Therefore, the tool could improve daily interactions for deaf and hard-of-hearing people.

How the technology works and its limits

The system combines camera input with machine learning models. Consequently, it identifies finger positions and translates sequences into words. However, the current prototype focuses on a limited sign vocabulary. Moreover, regional sign variants and facial expressions complicate accurate translation. In addition, privacy matters arise because the app analyses biometric gestures. Therefore, users should check data handling and storage before sharing videos. The developers plan further training with diverse data to improve coverage.

Why this matters for residents and visitors

This project matters in Kraków and across Poland because accessibility remains uneven. Moreover, public offices may not always offer sign language interpreters on demand. For example, you may need an interpreter to handle ZUS matters (social insurance), or to speak with doctors covered by NFZ (the National Health Fund). Therefore, a reliable app could ease everyday tasks. However, the app does not replace certified interpreters in legal or medical settings. In addition, expats should remember that some formal processes still require a PESEL number (national ID number) or in-person verification, and fines (mandat) apply for certain infractions regardless of communication barriers.

💡 GOOD TO KNOW: If you rely on sign language, inform public offices, your GP and hospitals early. Request an interpreter for official appointments, because many institutions provide services on request. Also, carry ID and PESEL details when needed for bureaucracy. In addition, watch privacy settings when using apps that process video. Finally, emergency services use 112 across Poland, and you can ask for alternatives if you cannot speak.

Local universities often collaborate with city authorities in Lesser Poland to pilot accessibility tools. Moreover, successful student projects sometimes receive city funding to expand. Therefore, the Kraków team may find partners to scale the app. However, wider adoption requires testing in more settings and languages used by Poland’s diverse communities.

Overall, this innovation shows how small teams can address real accessibility gaps. In addition, it gives expats a practical example of digital inclusion in Poland.

Source: Read original article

📚 Looking for more help settling in Poland? Browse our complete Expat Guides.