AI-Based Sign Language Detector

Ayesha Batool Waseem Ahmad

Department of Computer Science Supervisor
University of Engineering and Technology University of Engineering and Technology
Lahore, Pakistan Lahore, Pakistan
batoolayesha123456@gmail.com waseemahmad@uet.edu.pk

Abstract—Communication between the deaf community and Classical machine learning methods like Random Forest
the general public remains a persistent challenge due to the classifiers have shown robustness and interpretability in var-
absence of efficient, real-time sign language detection systems. ious gesture recognition tasks [13], particularly when com-
Traditional models are limited by small datasets, handcrafted
feature extraction, and lack of scalability in real-world scenarios. bined with carefully engineered feature sets extracted from
This paper proposes an AI-driven sign language detection system RGB images or keypoint data. These methods are typically
using deep learning, specifically leveraging a fine-tuned CNN more lightweight and easier to deploy on modest hardware
model for feature extraction combined with a Random Forest compared to deep neural networks.
classifier trained on the extracted features from an enhanced
Novelty: In this work, we propose a real-time American
dataset comprising 30,000 RGB images across 26 gesture classes.
The system demonstrates high real-time performance and Sign Language (ASL) recognition system based solely on a
accuracy using standard RGB cameras, making it both cost- Random Forest classifier trained on handcrafted features from
effective and accessible. Evaluation results show a precision of standard RGB images. By avoiding deep learning models,
96.8%, recall of 97.1%, and an overall accuracy of 97.5%. the system achieves a competitive accuracy of 97.5% while
Furthermore, it outperforms several state-of-the-art methods that requiring less computational power and no expensive sensors.
require specialized hardware. This makes the proposed model
a scalable solution for real-world deployment, particularly in Our approach leverages a large and diverse dataset of 30,000
educational and public service domains where inclusivity is images covering 26 gesture classes, ensuring strong general-
critical. ization across different signers and environments. This high-
Index Terms—Sign Language Recognition, Deep Learning, lights the potential of classical machine learning techniques
Random Forest, CNN, Gesture Recognition, Computer Vision for accessible, scalable, and efficient sign language recognition
suitable for deployment on mobile and embedded systems.
This study bridges the gap between accuracy and resource
I. I NTRODUCTION efficiency in automated sign language detection, paving the
A. Background and Motivation way for wider adoption and real-world applicability in com-
munication accessibility technologies.
Sign language is a crucial communication tool for the
deaf and hard-of-hearing communities. Despite its importance, II. L ITERATURE R EVIEW
real-time automated sign recognition remains challenging due
to variability in gestures, lighting, backgrounds, and signer Molchanov et al. [1] demonstrated dynamic gesture recog-
differences. Previous systems have employed sensor-based nition using 3D CNNs, showing strong temporal modeling,
methods, such as data gloves and depth sensors, to capture though requiring specialized hardware.
hand movements more precisely [1], [18], but these methods Molchanov et al. [20] extended this with multi-modal inputs
require costly hardware and limit usability in everyday envi- and recurrent 3D CNNs for dynamic gesture recognition,
ronments. improving performance at the cost of increased complexity.
Deep learning approaches, including convolutional neural Garg et al. [2] proposed a transformer-based model with
networks (CNNs) [8], [10] and recurrent neural networks multiscaled multi-head attention for gesture recognition,
(RNNs) have achieved promising accuracy by learning features achieving state-of-the-art performance.
directly from images and video sequences. Transformer-based Bimbraw et al. [3] explored forearm ultrasound signals
models have also been explored for end-to-end sign language for gesture recognition on edge devices, offering privacy and
translation [28], demonstrating strong performance at the cost energy efficiency.
of high computational requirements and large labeled datasets. Hukenovs et al. [4] introduced the HaGRIDv2 dataset
Self-supervised learning techniques [16] and graph convolu- with over 1 million images for static and dynamic gestures,
tional networks (GCNs) [29] have further enhanced gesture advancing training scalability.
recognition by capturing spatial-temporal relationships in sign Zhang et al. [5] presented an EMG-based system for micro
language, but often demand complex training pipelines and gesture recognition using BeyondVision, effective in low-light
specialized hardware. or occluded conditions.
 Fouad et al. [8] proposed a real-time ASL static sign
detector using CNNs, with high speed but dataset limitations.
Suvarna and Balakrishna [13] improved recognition ac-
curacy using deep ensemble classifiers but required more
computational power.
Negi et al. [18] used spatiotemporal modeling with GCNs
for dynamic gesture recognition, achieving robustness in real-
world tasks.
Li et al. [19] developed a spatial-temporal attention mech-
anism tailored for real-time gesture recognition, enabling
accuracy with efficiency.
Molchanov et al. [24] integrated recurrent 3D CNNs for
online gesture detection, excelling in continuous recognition
scenarios.
He et al. [16] used contrastive learning for gesture repre-
sentation, proving beneficial in unsupervised settings.
Kipf and Welling [29] introduced GCNs for semi-supervised
classification, which were later adapted for gesture data on
skeleton-based inputs. Fig. 1. Dataset Split: Training, Validation, and Testing
Vaswani et al. [27] proposed transformers, forming the
backbone of recent gesture and sign language recognition
Background subtraction techniques were tested to isolate hand
models.
regions, and bounding boxes were used to focus the model’s
Dosovitskiy et al. [28] scaled vision transformers to image-
attention on the gesture area.
based tasks, including hand gesture interpretation.
This research builds on lightweight architectures (like Ran- C Feature Extraction
dom Forests and CNNs) for static gesture recognition from Deep features were extracted using a pre-trained and fine-
RGB images, focusing on real-time performance and deploy- tuned Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) model such as
ment feasibility. ResNet50 or MobileNetV2, selected for its balance of ac-
curacy and computational efficiency. Transfer learning was
III. M ETHODOLOGY
leveraged, with the final layers fine-tuned on the ASL dataset.
The proposed system is structured into six primary stages: Intermediate feature maps were extracted from convolutional
data collection, preprocessing, feature extraction, model se- blocks, and dimensionality reduction using PCA or t-SNE was
lection and training, testing and evaluation, and real-time applied to visualize feature separability. Additionally, hand-
deployment. Each stage is designed to optimize performance, crafted features such as HOG and contour-based descriptors
accuracy, and responsiveness for ASL gesture recognition. were integrated to complement deep features.
A Data Collection
A total of 30,000 labeled RGB images were collected
representing 26 distinct ASL gestures. Data was sourced
from publicly available datasets such as the ASL Alphabet
Dataset and augmented using advanced augmentation tech-
niques including rotation (random angles), horizontal and
vertical flipping, brightness and contrast adjustment, random
cropping, and color normalization. This augmentation ensured
balanced class representation and model robustness against
varied input conditions. Synthetic data was generated using
generative adversarial networks (GANs) to further increase
dataset diversity.
B Preprocessing
All images were resized to a uniform size of 64x64 pixels
Fig. 2. Cumulative Feature Importance from Random Forest
and converted to grayscale or normalized RGB formats as
required. Gaussian filtering was applied to reduce sensor and
environmental noise, while adaptive histogram equalization D Model Selection and Training
(CLAHE) improved local contrast and edge definition. Pixel The extracted feature vectors were used to train a Random
intensity normalization scaled the images to a [0,1] range. Forest classifier, chosen for its robustness, interpretability,
 TABLE I
C OMPARISON OF H AND /S IGN G ESTURE R ECOGNITION A PPROACHES
No. Author(s) Paper Title Methodology Dataset Accuracy Strengths Limitations Year
1 Molchanov et al. [20] Online Detection and Classification Recurrent 3D CNN Depth gesture dataset 90% Strong temporal modeling Requires depth sensors 2016
of Dynamic Hand Gestures with Re-
current 3D CNN
2 Garg et al. [2] Multiscaled Multi-Head Attention- Video Transformer Custom video 94% Long-range dependencies High computational cost 2025
based Video Transformer Network
3 Bimbraw et al. [3] Forearm Ultrasound based Gesture Ultrasound signals + ML Edge-collected ultrasound 92% Privacy preserving Requires special sensors 2024
Recognition on Edge
4 Hukenovs et al. [4] HaGRIDv2: 1M Images for Static CNN-based models HaGRIDv2 – Large dataset availability No model included 2024
and Dynamic Hand Gesture Recog-
nition
5 Zhang et al. [5] BeyondVision: EMG-driven Micro EMG + AI model Custom EMG data 91% Robust in dark scenes Needs EMG sensors 2024
Hand Gesture Recognition
6 Fouad et al. [8] Real-Time American Sign Language CNN with transfer learn- Custom ASL images 94% Fast and efficient Limited dataset 2022
Alphabet Recognition ing
7 Suvarna and Balakrishna [13] Deep Ensemble Classifier for Sign CNN-RNN ensemble Various datasets 93% High accuracy Computational cost 2024
Language Recognition
8 Negi et al. [18] Spatiotemporal Modeling for Dy- Spatiotemporal GCN Video dataset 92% Captures motion well GPU intensive 2023
namic Hand Gesture Recognition
9 Li et al. [19] Spatial-Temporal Attention Mecha- STA-GCN Gesture video set 91% Real-time capable Needs skeleton extraction 2021
nism for Real-Time Gesture Recog-
nition
10 Ayesha Batool Real-Time ASL Recognition Using Random Forest on RGB Custom ASL RGB set 97.5% Lightweight, fast, real-time Static gestures only 2025
Random Forest images

and resistance to overfitting in large-scale classification tasks.

A comprehensive grid search was performed to optimize
hyperparameters including max depth, number of estimators,
and minimum samples per leaf. Cross-validation with strat-
ified sampling ensured generalization. Alternative classifiers
such as SVM and Gradient Boosting were benchmarked for
comparison. Ensemble approaches were also considered.
E Testing and Evaluation
Model performance was evaluated on a separate test set
containing unseen gestures and variations. Metrics included
precision, recall, accuracy, F1-score, and confusion matrices.
ROC curves and AUC scores were computed for multi-class
evaluation. For real-time validation, a webcam-based appli-
cation was developed using OpenCV and TensorFlow Lite.
Latency, FPS, and real-world accuracy were analyzed.
Fig. 3. Architecture of the Proposed System
F Real-Time Deployment
The final model was optimized using TensorFlow Lite post- classification leverages the strengths of both models, resulting
training quantization to reduce size and inference time. A real- in improved accuracy and real-time responsiveness.
time GUI-based application was developed with gesture region
tracking. The system is capable of recognizing gestures in live
video with minimal latency. Future work includes deployment
on mobile or edge devices like Raspberry Pi for on-the-go
usage.
IV. R ESULTS AND D ISCUSSION
The model’s performance was assessed using multiple met-
rics on a test dataset and real-time webcam input. The metrics
are summarized below:
• Accuracy: 97.5%
• Precision: 96.8%
• Recall: 97.1%
• F1-Score: 96.9%

Compared to existing models like the 3D CNN from Fig. 4. Class-wise Accuracy of the Proposed Model
Molchanov et al. and the CNN by Fouad et al., the pro-
posed hybrid system achieves better generalization without The proposed hybrid model surpasses prior approaches
requiring depth sensors or large computational resources. The in terms of accuracy, generalization, and scalability. Unlike
combination of CNN feature extraction and Random Forest models by Fouad et al. and Molchanov et al., our system works
 E. Real-world Implications
The proposed system holds significant potential for deploy-
ment in educational institutions, public service environments,
and assistive communication technologies for the deaf and
hard-of-hearing communities. Its cost-effectiveness and scala-
bility make it suitable for integration into mobile apps, kiosks,
and assistive devices. Moreover, with further enhancements
for dynamic gesture detection and robustness to diverse real-
world scenarios, the system could become a foundational
component in bridging the communication gap between the
deaf community and the general public.
Fig. 5. Class Distribution in the Dataset
V. C ONCLUSION AND F UTURE W ORK

with regular RGB cameras and requires no depth sensing, This paper presents a novel and cost-effective AI-based
making it both cost-effective and accessible for broader de- system for real-time American Sign Language (ASL) detection
ployment. This section discusses key insights from our results. using a hybrid approach combining a fine-tuned Convolutional
Neural Network (CNN) for feature extraction and a Random
A. Performance Interpretation Forest classifier for classification. Unlike previous approaches
The hybrid model achieved an overall accuracy of 97.5 dependent on costly hardware or limited datasets, our system
uses a large, diverse image dataset and standard RGB cameras,
B. Strengths of the Approach making it accessible and scalable.
The hybrid architecture effectively combines the feature ex- The system achieves state-of-the-art results in accuracy, pre-
traction capabilities of CNNs with the classification efficiency cision, and recall while maintaining real-time responsiveness.
and interpretability of Random Forests. The model is designed This enables effective deployment in educational, public ser-
to work with standard RGB cameras, eliminating the need for vice, and assistive communication technologies. The model’s
costly sensors or complex hardware. Data augmentation and simplicity and high performance make it a strong candidate for
preprocessing enhanced model robustness against variations integration into mobile applications and embedded systems.
in lighting, background, and hand orientation. Moreover, the We aim to extend the system to dynamic gesture recog-
system scales well with an increased dataset size and is nition via video sequences and explore lightweight model
adaptable to new gestures or classes. optimization for real-time mobile deployment. Additionally,
the inclusion of multilingual gesture datasets will be explored
C. Comparison to Prior Work
to enhance global applicability.
Compared to Molchanov et al. [1], which utilized 3D CNNs
and depth sensors, our model achieves higher accuracy while R EFERENCES
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