Two school students from Chandigarh 14 year old Advit Agrawal and 17 year-old Thakur Garg, both from Strawberry Fields High School, Chandigarh, have been awarded a design patent by the Government of India for a wearable innovation that could significantly improve communication access for the deaf and hard of hearing community.

Their invention, called GestureX, is a pair of smart glasses that convert spoken language into sign language in real time. The patent, registered under Class 16-06, officially recognizes the design of the device, which aims to bridge a crucial gap in assistive technology speech to sign translation.

The idea took shape when Advit, while taking Indian Sign Language (ISL) classes, began exploring ways to simplify communication for individuals who rely on sign language. Having previously worked on robotic arms that could translate text into sign, he found a common ground with Thakur, who had been working on the reverse: translating sign language into speech. Together, they identified a less-served area converting spoken language into visual signs and began developing GestureX.

“GestureX wasn’t built for recognition it was built to make communication more fair and accessible. Learning ISL opened my eyes, but watching others struggle to learn it showed me how invisible these barriers still are. If this inspires even one more person to act, we’ve already made a difference. I’m proud that we turned an idea into something real, something that helps people be seen, heard, and understood,” - said Advit Agrawal and his teammates.

GestureX uses a Raspberry Pi microprocessor, a microphone, and Python-based speech recognition software to convert spoken input into text. The software then maps the text to a corresponding sign language video from a curated digital dictionary and displays it in real time on a micro OLED screen embedded inside the glasses. The prototype currently supports American Sign Language (ASL), British Sign Language (BSL), and Indian Sign Language (ISL).

The design also incorporates practical considerations, including directional audio detection, text-to-sign flexibility, and a lightweight, balanced frame that rests ergonomically on the wearer’s ear. While the device is still in the prototype phase, the students are actively testing and refining its performance.

The inventors believe this tool could help users better navigate public settings such as schools, workplaces, and hospitals, where visual accessibility to spoken conversations is essential. Their longer term goal is to make GestureX available at scale by optimizing the design for cost effective production and aligning it with the Make in India initiative. A technology patent filing is also underway.

Advit and Thakur currently work independently but are open to mentorship and collaboration to advance the development and reach of their device. They are especially keen to work with institutions or organizations in the assistive tech or inclusion space.

For the students, the project has been more than a technical challenge it’s been a personal mission to build something meaningful that promotes accessibility and inclusion through thoughtful design and technology.