PRESS RELEASE
· POCOPO LLC
POCOPO Announces Development of PocoFre, an AI-Powered Japanese Sign Language Recognition App
Free Android and iOS apps are in development, with an initial release planned for Japan only.
SAITAMA, Japan, Sept. 23, 2026 — POCOPO LLC announces the development of PocoFre, a free Android and iOS app that uses Japanese Sign Language (JSL) for communication, text input, digital controls and games. Development and testing are underway ahead of a planned launch in Japan.
PocoFre is being developed by POCOPO founder and CEO Naoya Okamoto, who is Deaf and uses sign language. The service reflects his experience as a sign language user and a belief that sign language should be a natural way to interact with digital technology.
From Japanese Sign Language to digital interaction
Sign language is a language. PocoFre is designed to offer another way for sign language users and Japanese speakers to communicate, while extending signing into everyday digital activities.
On the app’s Home screen, users sign toward the camera. PocoFre recognizes supported Japanese fingerspelling and a limited set of JSL signs, then displays hiragana or Japanese text. Users can copy the results into other apps. A collection of “Sign Tools” also lets users control everyday tools and games through signing.
Featured Sign Tools
The service website highlights three examples from PocoFre’s growing collection:
Sign-Controlled Timer
Set a time and start the timer with a sign, including when cooking makes touching a screen inconvenient.
Fingerspelling Word Runner
Spell words with Japanese fingerspelling to test speed and accuracy.
Sign Aquarium
Use Japanese signs or fingerspelling to bring new sea creatures into a virtual aquarium.
Additional Sign Tools are planned as development continues.
Recognition scope and data handling
Recognition is currently limited to Japanese fingerspelling and a subset of JSL signs. Regional, generational and individual variations in signing are not yet fully supported. PocoFre is being developed for JSL; this announcement does not describe support for American Sign Language (ASL) or other sign languages.
For sign recognition on Home, camera footage is processed entirely on the device and is not sent to an external server. Sign-language data is not collected through Home recognition. Some Sign Tools send and collect sign-language data on external servers when users choose to contribute it. POCOPO plans to use contributed data to improve recognition accuracy and gradually expand the supported signs.
Development and availability
PocoFre for Android and iOS is currently in development and is planned to be free to use. The initial release is planned for Japan only. A specific launch date, supported devices and download details will be published on the official website once confirmed. No U.S. or other international release has been announced.
Development priorities include improving recognition, adding Sign Tools, and testing usability and stability on supported devices. The aim is to make sign language a starting point for more digital experiences: communicating, typing, controlling and playing.
Service website: pocofre.jp/en/
About POCOPO LLC
Founded in July 2026 and based in Saitama, Japan, POCOPO LLC researches and develops AI and accessibility technologies and creates places where people can gather and connect. Led by Naoya Okamoto, the company is developing PocoFre to expand the role of sign language in everyday digital interaction.
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