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The Hearthstone team

About Hearthstone

We're a student-built community dedicated to bridging the barrier between the Deaf and Hearing communities by making sign language more accessible

Our Story

Where it all
began

Project Hearthstone started with a simple but puzzling question: why is communication still a barrier in 2026? Three high school students, passionate about technology and social equity, decided that they weren't willing to accept the status quo.

What began as a hackathon prototype evolved into a whole student-led organization dedicated to building AI-powered sign language transcription and learning tools, to bring sign language to a wider audience.

Today, Project Hearthstone spans several committees, more than thirty passionate members, and a growing suite of affordable, ergonomically-engineered products all aimed at making communication more accessible for all - a right, not a privilege.

2025

The Spark

Project Hearthstone was founded on the concept of an ASL-translating glove

Late 2025

Grant Win

Our founders applied for the Nord Anglia Social Impact Grant, and won more than $2600, which they've dedicated to intermixing AI and accessibility to lessen the communication gap by expanding Project Hearthstone's prototype diversity

Early 2026

Building the Team

We expanded to six core committees: technology, management, marketing, social outreach, art & design, and finance

2026 -

Scaling Impact

Working with other organizations and potential expansion to other countries

Our Motivation

Why We Built Hearthstone

When we first built a prototype that could recognize a handful of ASL signs, we realized something uncomfortable: millions of people had been waiting for this for decades, and no one had made it simple, free, and accessible.

A Note From the Founders

I believe that without the ability to innovate to resolve problems, we cannot advance as a species. In the modern society, there exists issues that require critical thinking and committment to be able to solve, and that is something that I wish to embody through Project Hearthstone. The effort that our community has put forward so far has astounded me, and their dedication to contribute to society in meaningful ways is heartwarming.

Sresht Founder & Head of Technology

I live with my grandmother, who is Deaf. We communicate with her through a mixture of lip-reading and gestures. Since a young age, I've had to come up with innovative methods to communicate with her, and because neither of us knew any formal sign language, some information would get lost in translation, making communication difficult. Because this is something that's close to home, I understand to a relatively large extent the impact that this type of technology would have on other people in similar situations. That is my motivation for contributing to the way that we strive to get rid of communication barriers, especially when the technology that we need to address them already exists - it just needs to be innovated upon.

Myra Co-founder & Head of Marketing

I've always been the kind of person who can't leave a broken thing alone — whether that's a merge conflict at 2am or a system that quietly excludes people because nobody bothered to fix it. Sign language technology felt like exactly that kind of problem: the pieces already exist, they're just scattered and unpolished. Getting to actually build the thing instead of just talking about it — writing the model, breaking it, rebuilding it — has been the most honest kind of satisfaction I've found in any project so far.

Aryan Co-founder & Head of Technology

What We Stand For

Our Core Values

Accessibility First

Every product starts with one question: is this usable by everyone? Accessibility is not a feature — it is our foundation.

Community-Centered

We build with the deaf and non-verbal community, not just for them. Real impact requires genuine partnership and listening.

Innovation with Purpose

We harness AI not for its own sake, but because it gives us the best tools to solve real human problems.

Education as Empowerment

Knowledge breaks barriers. Teaching ASL and building awareness is just as important as building technology.

Heard From the Community

Voices that guide us

Project Hearthstone is one of the most amazing projects i have ever seen. The idea and the execution of the project not only helps our society but inspires others to do a change. Using technology to change the world is one of the most ideal way of utilizing your time. Giving this power to others to innovate and help is what this project does. It really does change lives.

SR

Soumyajit R.

IBDP student

It's an amazing initiative by Sresht, Myra and Aryan. Appreciate them for creating the product for members who have auditory impairment. Proud of them!

PN

Punitha N.

IBDP Teacher

Project Hearthstone is a shining example of what happens when empathy meets innovation. At Oakridge, our students set out with one goal: to break communication barriers for the Deaf community. Through Project Hearthstone, they built a solution to help decode language into ASL — giving voice to those who communicate differently. What makes me most proud is that this wasn't just a tech project. It was driven by compassion, collaboration, and the true spirit of the IB Learner Profile — being caring, reflective, and principled. Project Hearthstone reminds us that small teams of students can create big impact. It's not just changing how we communicate, it's changing how we see each other.

SK

Sonia K.

Social Impact Lead

Common Questions

Myths we debunk

What kinds of devices does Project Hearthstone make?

We make portable chest-mount AI sign language recognition camera-based translation systems using Raspberry Pi technology! Our first prototype was a glove, but the Hearthstone Glove is no longer in production in favor of more reliable Hearthstone AI technology.

What languages are available on Hearthstone technology?

We have already developed and are in the process of testing our ASL models. We're working on the development of an ISL translation software, and our BSL devices will be coming soon.

What country is Project Hearthstone located in?

Our headquarters are in Bengaluru, India, but we are currently open to expansion to other countries where collaborators would like to join us. Contact us for more information!

Can I join Project Hearthstone?

Absolutely! If you are committed to the cause and feel you have skills to offer, check us out on LinkedIn or contact us directly.

The People Behind It

Meet the Team

Hearthstone is powered by students who care deeply about equity, technology, and the people our work serves. Organized across five committees, each member brings something unique to the mission.

Open Roles

We're growing.
Come build with us.

Hearthstone is a student-led team, and we welcome motivated students from any background, no prior experience required.

Management Strategy, ops, and organizational leadership
Technology AI, embedded systems, computer vision, web development
Social Impact Community outreach, partnerships, advocacy
Marketing, Art & Design Content, design, social media, social presence
Finance Grants, budgeting, and financial planning
Apply to Join →