RIMOWA's 2026 Prize Went to a Bracelet That Speaks Sign Language - Yanko Design

NURA is a wearable bracelet that uses EMG sensors to capture forearm muscle signals and translate sign language into audible speech in real time. The system also works in reverse by converting spoken language into visible text for deaf users. The bracelet is shaped like a manta ray and is designed to look like a stylish accessory rather than a medical device. The design approach emphasizes visibility and pride, countering the stigma historically associated with assistive technologies. The compact form factor applies EMG concepts to sign language translation in a meaningful, practical design leap.

"NURA: a bracelet that uses EMG (electromyography) sensors to capture muscle signals in the forearm and translate sign language into audible speech in real time. It works the other way around too, converting spoken language into visible text for deaf users. The whole thing sits on your wrist, shaped by the silhouette of a manta ray, and it looks less like a medical device and more like the kind of accessory you'd spot on someone at a gallery opening."

"Assistive technology has a long and unfortunate history of making the people who need it feel conspicuous. Hearing aids, for decades, were designed to be invisible precisely because visibility carried stigma. The unspoken message was that needing help was something to hide. NURA takes a completely different position. It's designed to be seen, worn with pride, styled rather than concealed."

"The technology behind it is genuinely clever. EMG sensors are nothing new as a concept, but applying them to sign language translation in a form this compact and wearable is a meaningful design leap. The bracelet reads the electrical signals produced by muscle contractions in the forearm as the wearer signs, processes them, and produces speech output. The reverse channel picks up spoken language and renders it as text."

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