Chinese developers enter the fray at Apple coding competition

Chinese app developers are showcasing their talents at the Swift Student Challenge, a global coding competition for students organized by Apple Inc.

Xu Tianyu, a senior student at Shanghai Institute of Technology, said her Swift Playgrounds project SignBridge, aims to address communication barriers between hearing-impaired and hearing individuals in campus environments.

"My university is the only undergraduate institution in Shanghai that offers special education classes for hearing-impaired students, where teachers rely on sign language interpreters during instruction," Xu said.

Witnessing the challenges of communication during a visit to a friend working as a sign language teaching assistant, the developer recognized the urgent need for a tool to foster inclusivity and bridge this gap in daily campus interactions.

Designed for intuitive learning, SignBridge breaks down traditional methods with core principles such as interactivity, personalization, and practical application, Xu said.

"The app's key feature is the real-time camera practice that evaluates the user's signing accuracy and provides an immediate score," Xu added.

By transforming learning into an engaging, practical experience, the project underscores that even simple tools can drive meaningful change, turning isolated interactions into opportunities for empathy and equality, she said.

The Swift Student Challenge is part of Apple's broader push to help cultivate promising app developers around the world.

In March, Apple announced a 30 million yuan ($4.2 million) donation to Zhejiang University, further solidifying its decade-long commitment to nurturing tech talent in China through its Mobile Application Innovation Contest.

The initiative has empowered over 30,000 students from nearly 1,000 universities across China over the past decade, many of whom have gone on to become app engineers, entrepreneurs, and educators driving positive change in their communities.