AI and Sign Language: Now and the Future
RYAN HAIT-CAMPBELL, JEFFREY SHAUL
We presented to an audience of creative sign language storytellers and filmmakers in Sandefjord, Norway. We are grateful to Supervisuell and tegn.tv.
I am a Full-Stack Developer a Sign Language Advocate an Entrepreneur a Kayaker a Data Engineer Deaf
Hi, I'm Jeff! I'm a full-stack developer, AI enthusiast, entrepreneur, sign language advocate, and problem-solver who thrives at the intersection of technology and accessibility. I build sign language-first apps, games, platforms, and data pipelines that harness modern cloud services to improve access, communication, and representation for signers.
As the co-founder of GoSign.AI, alongside Ryan Hait-Campbell, my mission is to ensure equity of sign language in technology. The digital world is built on vast amounts of spoken and written language data, yet sign languages are critically underrepresented in AI and accessibility solutions. GoSign.AI was created to change that—by collecting high-quality sign language data, designing tools that cater to signers, and advocating for a future where technology serves all languages equally. Our work bridges the disparity in accessibility, data quantity, and quality, ensuring that signers are not left behind in the AI revolution.
At GoSign.AI, I design and engineer the data pipelines that fuel our AI models. From video collection workflows to machine learning inference systems, I build the infrastructure that farms sign language data at scale, processes it efficiently, and feeds it into AI models for recognition, translation, and generation. This work is critical for training systems that understand and produce sign language, paving the way for a more inclusive future.
Beyond GoSign.AI, I’ve also developed games that prioritize sign language accessibility, such as Play With ASL, an interactive learning experience that engages users through gameplay while reinforcing ASL skills. My freelance work includes building apps and platforms that integrate sign language-first design principles, ensuring that signers have equitable access to digital spaces.
I also volunteer with the Coalition for Sign Language Equity in Technology, advocating for policies and practices that ensure sign languages are properly represented in the development of AI, accessibility tools, and emerging technologies.
Beyond coding, I'm passionate about kayaking and tabletop gaming, always looking for the next adventure—whether on the water or around the game table.
Building scalable web and mobile apps with modern frameworks and cloud-native architectures.
Integrating AI for automation, video processing, and accessibility solutions.
Exploring AR/VR, IoT, and AI-powered interactive tools.
Advocating for ethical AI and accessibility in Deaf communities.
Deaf people can do anything hearing people can do except hear.
First Deaf President of Gallaudet University
Instead of trying to produce a program to simulate the adult mind, why not rather try to produce one which simulates the child’s?
Mathematician and computer scientist
Never trust something that can think for itself if you can't see where it keeps its brain
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Premature optimization is the root of all evil.
Computer scientist and mathematician
We presented to an audience of creative sign language storytellers and filmmakers in Sandefjord, Norway. We are grateful to Supervisuell and tegn.tv.
At the pre-Conference for Interpreter Training, I gave a seminar on the Coalition for Sign Language Equity in Technology and the SAFE AI Task Force's newly developed guidance regarding automated interpreting by artificial intelligence. I also moderated two panel discussions, the first being legal-oriented with a number of legal experts, and the second being interpreter-oriented.
Diana Cho, a Deaf life coach, hosted a podcast interviewing me about recent developments in sign language recognition and the broader AI industry.
I served as a panelist for this panel discussion moderated by Larry Goldberg. We discussed emerging and anticipated applications of AI in the accessibility industry. We also discussed readiness indicators of these applications.
As subject-matter experts, we presented our concerns to the Federal Communications Commission's Consumer Advisory Committee regarding their request for comments on a rulemaking proposal where exemptions would be made for AI-powered accessibility tools.
Ryan and I, co-founders of GoSign.AI, answered Deaf.TV Denmark's questions about emerging sign language recognition technologies and the need for data stewardship by people who are deaf.
As a representative of the Coalition for Sign Language Equity in Technology, I gave a presentation to Colorado General Assembly's interim Language Access Advisory Board regarding the readiness of AI-powered accessibility tools for providing language access to their proceedings.
We presented at the National Association of the Deaf's biannual conference in Chicago, IL regarding our activities as the Advisory Group on AI and Interpreting. We raised awareness for many Deaf people about emerging technologies.
Prior to the commencement of NAD 2024, we presented at the National Association of State Agencies for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing about #DeafSAFEAI principles.
Co-founded GoSign.AI, a gamified platform collecting 250,000+ sign language video samples across 19 languages. Built cloud microservices for data capture and processing, ensuring GDPR compliance and security. Deployed AI models for style transfer and language generation using GPU instances. Developed web, iOS, and cross-platform apps with React and SwiftUI. Partnered with researchers and industry leaders to advance accessibility solutions and prototyped AR and heads-up display apps.
Developed and deployed iOS apps with secure authentication, offline caching, and in-app purchases. Built interactive SPAs with React, leveraging WebRTC and WebSockets for real-time communication. Integrated AI frameworks like TensorFlow and PyTorch for machine learning and computer vision projects. Implemented large language models into web applications.
Designed and implemented IoT-driven inventory and process management systems for real-time efficiency and traceability. Built a web platform for crop performance analysis, integrating market data and predictive modeling. Ensured regulatory compliance as Compliance Officer and led core staff to maintain a safe, productive, and compliant workplace.
Completed all coursework for an MS in Bioinformatics, focusing on protein-DNA complexation, conformational dynamics, motif binding, and supercomputing. Specialized in big data analysis for biological systems before transitioning to industry applications.
Pursued graduate studies in biophysics, specializing in molecular dynamics, big data analysis, X-ray crystallography, NMR, and computational algorithms. Completed a year of a PhD program before shifting focus to applied technology and software development.
Graduated cum laude with a well-rounded academic experience, blending biochemistry research with a passion for the arts. Participated in theatrical productions and explored diverse electives, fostering a creative and analytical approach to problem-solving.
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