NURA Bracelet Wins RIMOWA Design Prize, Translates Sign Language in Real Time
In May 2026, students Samuel Nagel and Paul Feiler from the University of Design in Schwäbisch Gmünd were awarded the fourth RIMOWA Design Prize for their creation, NURA. This innovative bracelet utilizes electromyography to interpret forearm muscle signals, translating sign language into spoken words and converting spoken language into text for the deaf community. Established in 2023, the RIMOWA Design Prize is an annual competition for students from top German design institutions, emphasizing mobility as a crucial social and political issue. Previous projects recognized include Hottie, a device for menstrual discomfort, and Artificial Body Positivity, a reimagined luxury prosthetic. Nagel and Feiler believe that mobility enhances communication, fostering spontaneity in daily life. NURA’s design, inspired by the graceful shape of a manta ray, aims to minimize stigma associated with assistive devices. The project faces technical hurdles in ensuring EMG accuracy across various sign languages and styles, yet the prize highlights the need to broaden design perspectives and tackle communication barriers for millions of individuals who are deaf or hearing-impaired.
Key facts
- Samuel Nagel and Paul Feiler won the 2026 RIMOWA Design Prize.
- Their project NURA is a bracelet that translates sign language into speech and vice versa.
- NURA uses electromyography to read muscle signals in the forearm.
- The RIMOWA Design Prize was founded in 2023 as an annual student competition.
- Previous winners include Hottie and Artificial Body Positivity.
- NURA's design resembles a manta ray for ergonomic and aesthetic appeal.
- The designers emphasize mobility as linked to communication.
- EMG accuracy across signing styles remains a challenge for production.
Entities
Artists
- Samuel Nagel
- Paul Feiler
Institutions
- University of Design in Schwäbisch Gmünd
- RIMOWA
- Rimowa Design Prize
- LVMH
Locations
- Schwäbisch Gmünd
- Germany