Google DeepMind Releases SL2T Model for ASL Translation
It enables sign language input on Pixel phones through Gboard and Live Transcribe.
Google DeepMind announced its SL2T sign language-to-text model. The system translates simultaneous hand, body, and face movements directly into text. It powers new features allowing users to sign into Gboard and Live Transcribe on Pixel phones starting with Pixel 11. The model was built with guidance from Deaf Googlers and an AI Sign Language Advisory Committee. Body pose tracking runs on device for privacy while servers handle the translation step. It supports one-handed signing and is optimized for real-world use.
SL2T is our breakthrough sign language-to-text model powering new features for Deaf and hard of hearing users on @Android. Starting with American Sign Language-to-English on Pixel 11, people can sign directly into Gboard and Live Transcribe instead of typing.
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23 postsFor years, building AI for sign language has been slow due to complex technical challenges and misconceptions about how the languages work. We addressed this by training a model to translate simultaneous movements of the hands, body, and face directly into text, using huge…
SL2T is state-of-the-art on academic benchmarks, plus it's optimized for real-world use like one-handed signing while holding a phone. To protect privacy, it tracks body poses on-device, while our servers translate them into text.
We built SL2T with the Deaf community - guided by Deaf Googlers and our AI Sign Language Advisory Committee. Bringing ASL input to phones is just the beginning and we’re working to expand this technology to more sign languages and applications. Find out more →
Google DeepMind is doing some crazy work. This is so good and is going to help so many people. They just launched SL2T (Sign Language to Text), an AI model that translates sign language directly into text. Most spoken language dictation tools rely on audio to text, but sign…
We built SL2T with the Deaf community - guided by Deaf Googlers and our AI Sign Language Advisory Committee. Bringing ASL input to phones is just the beginning and we’re working to expand this technology to more sign languages and applications. Find out more →
I'm so happy to be able to announce the first general purpose sign-language-to-text translation (SL2T) model from my team that's out today and powering a new ASL input feature on @Android phones (and don't worry, we're not stopping at ASL).
The team has done incredible work in creating something that really centers our users' needs and isn't just climbing a new leaderboard.