Signsight Product System

SignSight is an IoT-based smart home communication system designed for Deaf and hearing family members. Using gesture and voice recognition, it transforms presence, events, and intent into shared visual feedback through projection and lighting, creating a common layer of awareness without changing anyone’s natural way of communication.
‍A shared sensory system for mixed-language families

Category:

Product Design
Interaction Design

Tools:

SolidWorks, Rhino
Adobe Creative
‍

Core Technology:

Built with MediaPipe, this system tracks hand gestures and body movements in real time, enabling seamless, non-verbal interaction through sign language.

Research

Research

This section documents the evolution of Signsight—from early interviews and field observations to ideation sketches and working prototypes. You’ll find how user insights shaped the system’s sensory interaction, and how each iteration responded to real communication challenges in mixed-language households.

View Full Research ArchiveThesis BlogMedia Pipe

Quotations

Key Quotations

“ In mixed-language families, the core issue is the imbalance in language proficiency, which reduces communication. While technology can aid information exchange, face-to-face emotional conversations—especially between parents and children—remain difficult and limited.”

“The water keeps running. The door stays open.
 By the time someone notices, the moment's already gone.


In mixed-language families, it's not just communication that's delayed — it's awareness.”

- Yuyin Liang

Professor in the Special Education DepartmentSecretary-General of the Chongqing Deaf Association.

HMW
How can we foster shared awareness in mixed-language families?
Can communication happen without the need for active operation—like air, flowing naturally through a shared space?

Solution

Why SignSight?

In mixed-language families, traditional alerts often disrupt more than they connect. I designed SignSight—a projection and vision-based system—to enable quiet, ambient communication at home. It creates shared awareness through light and movement, without intrusive prompts or voice commands. The goal is to build a sense of connection that feels natural, responsive, and non-invasive.

A modular system with a sensing camera and a projection module — creating subtitles and awareness that live not on a screen, but in shared space.

Process

"I love you" Handshape

(01).

Initial exploration phase

In the early stage, I explored integrating sign language elements into the camera’s form—such as the “I love you” handshape—to subtly embed cultural meaning and emotional warmth into the device.

(02).

Based on the research and design evolution, I tested different dimensions, form factors, and UI workflows to ensure the mini projector is suitable for various scenarios in mixed-language families.

(03).

Evaluate the ergonomic grip and modular attachments for comfort and functionality.

Solution

Final design

The SignSight product system consists of three main components: the main camera module, the projector module, and the smart light node.

A modular stand for independent camera use

Provides rotation, elevation, and power support in homes without wall mounts.

Central device with gesture and audio tracking.

It captures sign language, spoken language, and contextual cues for projection.

The Smart Light Node acts as a signal, not a translator.

a visual call between rooms, alerting family members that something has happened.

(02).

Smart light node

"Since projections can’t cover every corner of the room, the smart bulb provides visual cues through light signals to indicate events."

(03).

Product Feature

Its features include sign language recognition, ambient notification systems, room-to-room awareness, emotion-based visual feedback, and interactive learning support, all designed to enhance communication without requiring users to change their natural way of interacting.

(04).

How to use?

(05).

Wake-up method

Unlike voice-based devices like Siri, this one uses a clap to activate motion capture and send data."It also responds to voice input — you can say “Sight” to wake it up.

(06).

modular configuration

The modular design allows components to be detached, repositioned, and attached to different environments, adapting to various spatial and communication needs.

The most brutalist and efficient library
A Webflow library infused with the brutalist way
Just drag, drop and make your first MRR faster
Assets for Webflow builders.
Signsight Interative Hub
Mood
Silent Coffee
HomeThesisGift designGalleryAbout