Hand Talk
AI avatars that translate text and speech into sign language for deaf users and accessible websites.
Acquired — still operating
Acquired by Sorenson Communications in 2025; the Hand Talk product line continues to operate.
About
Hand Talk is the largest platform for automatic translation into sign languages (provider-described). Its 3D virtual translators, Hugo and Maya, convert written text and speech into Brazilian Sign Language (Libras) and American Sign Language (ASL) using natural language processing and avatar animation. The product line covers a website accessibility plugin that translates page content into ASL or Libras, a mobile app that works as a pocket translator with a Libras dictionary and an ASL learning path, and a team of deaf experts and linguists who validate the content.
The company was founded in Brazil in 2012, was recognized by the UN as the best social app in the world, and reports 9M+ app downloads and 1B+ words translated (provider-claimed). In 2025 it was acquired by Sorenson Communications, which continues to operate it alongside its own interpreting services. Hand Talk states its avatars complement rather than replace human interpreters, and deaf users have noted the avatar can miss sign-language grammar, so it is an accessibility layer rather than a full interpretation substitute.
What it can do
- 3D avatar translation of text and speech into Libras and ASL
- Website accessibility plugin for on-page sign language translation
- Mobile pocket translator with Libras dictionary
- ASL learning path (Hands Up!) with gamified lessons
- Content validated by deaf experts and linguists (provider-described)
Setup
- Add the Hand Talk accessibility plugin to your website via the plugin snippet.
- Visitors open the accessibility window and get Hugo or Maya signing page content.
- Download the mobile app for the pocket translator and ASL learning path.
Prerequisites
Use cases
Works with
Trust score — 7/10
Scored 7/10 (TIER verified, metrics-v1). Evidence: operating since 2012 with a real shipped product line (app, website plugin), UN recognition, and 2025 acquisition by Sorenson Communications covered by industry press (Slator). Strengths: genuine accessibility mission, real user base in Brazil, continued operation post-acquisition. Docked for: (1) download and word-count figures are provider-reported; (2) avatar signing quality has documented limitations versus human interpreters. License: proprietary (freemium app + commercial plugin).
How the trust score is built
Full methodology →- Adoption · stars/downloads, log-scaled vs peers
- 7.0/10
- Maintenance · recency, releases, issue load
- 7.0/10
- Openness · license + docs
- 3.0/10
- Manual review · sanity read + red-flag check
- 7.0/10
- · Operating since 2012; real shipped line (app, website plugin); UN recognition as best social app.
- · Acquired by Sorenson Communications in 2025; continues to operate (Slator coverage).
- · Download (9M+) and word-count (1B+) figures are provider-reported.
- · Avatar signing has documented limitations versus human interpreters.
Sources
Every fact above was checked against these sources. Where a claim comes from the provider and couldn't be independently verified, the text says so.