Kenyan startup builds robotic hand to translate lessons into Sign Language
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In Nairobi, Kenya, the startup ZeroBionic created a robotic hand that translates spoken lessons into Kenyan Sign Language to help deaf students learn science and math.
The company, founded by young engineers including Norah Kimathi, initially developed the hand as an experimental prosthetic and won an award at Strathmore University in 2024. ZeroBionic now builds the hands using 3D printing and recycled plastic in its own laboratory.
Teachers at the Kasarani Treeside Secondary School for the Deaf are helping to build the robotic hand’s vocabulary by wearing suits that record their sign language movements. This data is used to create a digital database of technical terms for STEM subjects, filling a gap in existing African sign language datasets. The database currently contains over 9 million parameters focused on STEM content and can adapt to local variations in signs using machine learning.
The robotic hand costs around 350 dollars and can function without an internet connection, making it practical for classroom use. ZeroBionic reports that the devices are currently used in 78 schools in Kenya, with plans to reach over 120 institutions across four countries by 2025. Estimates from the Kenya Society for Deaf Children suggest around 300,000 school-aged deaf children in Kenya, only 20,000 of whom attend school, highlighting the need for accessible educational tools.
