This is the time of year when pupils go back to school, and
students are either embarking upon a higher education journey, or are returning
to one that is already underway. But
whatever your plans are, one important aspect of any study for a blind or
visually impaired person is being able to access your materials using an OCR
software package, app, or stand-alone scanner.
So I have put together a handy guide to what is out there, where you can
get it, and what it offers once you have installed it on your computer, tablet
or phone.
What is OCR?
OCR stands for Optical Character Recognition. Essentially, OCR software turns your printed
text into speech synthesis that you can then read, edit or save. This method has been popular for many years,
but there is now more choice than ever on how and where you read your text, not
to mention better cameras for taking pictures and improved software features.
Software Packages
Let’s start with dedicated software you can run from your
laptop, desktop PC or Mac. These are
usually packages that cost several hundred pounds and have been around for many
years. But while the cost is a
consideration, the rich list of features these packages offer is important to
note, depending of course on what you need the software tools to do. For example, if you only wish to scan or
photograph a piece of mail that drops through your letter-box, then a dedicated
OCR package is probably going to be overkill.
But if you want to scan multiple pages such as a book, you want to save
what you have scanned, or you use other features like photocopying, saving
files as images, and converting PDF material, then dedicated packages are
definitely worth consideration. I have
DocuScan, K1000 and OpenBook installed on my computers because I have invested
in them over the last 25 years, and find that when one package doesn’t scan a
particular document terribly well, one of the others will get me out of a hole!
There are several of these types of package:
·
ABBYY FineReader - probably the cheapest in this
range, but can be difficult to navigate with a screen reader such as JAWS or
NVDA.
·
DocuScan - available for PC and Mac, this
program has been specifically written for blind and visually impaired people to
use. You can, for example, convert a PDF
file, click on links that the software has scanned from within the package, and
do lots more.
·
Kurzweil 1000 (normally known as K1000) - this
package has been around in a few guises for the best part of 40 years. It converts and saves files in a variety of
formats, and is fully speech-driven. It
hasn’t been updated for several years, but is still a popular program because
of its accessibility tools and rich list of features.
·
OpenBook - similar to K1000, this program also
converts many file types, supports Braille, and offers the user several tools
such as photocopying and saving files directly to a note-taker.
In addition to the above software packages, you need to
consider buying either an all-in-one scanner/printer that performs multiple
tasks in the one unit, or simply a flatbed scanner that you link to the
software you choose to run. For example,
I have an all-in-one Brother laser printer/scanner/photocopier that I use for a
variety of tasks in addition to just scanning.
But I also have a Canon flatbed scanner sitting on my desk which is very
convenient to move around to another location.
There are also OCR cameras that sit on a tripod and allow you to snap a
picture of your text which then converts it. For example, the Pearl camera which folds up
nicely and can be carried around with your laptop, and works with the JAWS
screen reader, OpenBook, and K1000 software.
There is also a piece of software in this category that
works well with multiple languages which is Cloud-based only called Kibo XS
which comes complete with its own camera and guiding mat.
Smart Apps
Then there are specific apps that you run on your tablet or
phone that use your device’s camera to take a picture of written text, and then
processes it into speech. This method
has become incredibly popular over the last decade or so, primarily because
most apps don’t cost anything to download and install, and because phones and
tablets are so popular for other features anyway.
Some of the apps that are specifically written for blind or
visually impaired people:
·
Be My Eyes
·
Envision AI
·
Google Lookout
·
OneStep Reader
·
Seeing AI
·
Sullivan+
·
SuperSense
·
Voice Dream Scanner
Be My Eyes, Envision AI, and Seeing AI are all free, and can
be downloaded for iOS or Android from their respective stores. They both offer other functionality such as
describing objects and scenes, but they do a fantastic job of reading text when
used in conjunction with the device’s camera.
OneStep Reader used to be known as KNFB Reader. This app is still paid-for, but offers lots
of additional features such as batch scanning and converting PDF files.
Envision AI can not only be used stand-alone, but works in
conjunction with the Envision AI Smart Glasses sold separately.
As with many apps for your Smart devices, AI is now the
dominant feature in many of them, and can be extremely useful in interrogating
documents that you have scanned.
There are also lots of mainstream apps that you can simply
search for and download to try out, but given the huge choice, it can be a very
hit-and-miss process. Naturally, a Smart
phone or tablet is required to use any OCR apps, and it is probably fair to say
that the more up-to-date your device is, the better and faster results you will
obtain. If holding your device over a
document is difficult because you have dexterity issues, or struggle to align
the camera with the document, you can purchase a stand on which to insert your phone
or tablet so you just double-tap the ‘Take Picture’ button and wait for the
device to do its work. Even some Braille
note-takers have a good enough camera built into them to allow you to take
pictures of your documents.
Stand-Alone OCR Scanners
For those who really cannot use a Smartphone or tablet for
whatever reason, there are still the expensive but equally important
stand-alone OCR options on the market to purchase. These products have become lighter and more
feature-rich in recent years, but they are still expensive due to their niche
audience. Some of these include:
·
AngelEye Desktop - a new OCR scanner with
built-in AI.
·
Clear Reader family
·
EyePal Solo
·
Hark Reader
·
I-Reader
·
Kobo Reader
·
OrCam family
·
ReadEasy family
Useful Resources
Android Play Store - search for all of the above Smart apps.
Apple App Store - search for all of the above apps except
Google Lookout which isn’t available for iOS.
https://www.apple.com/uk/app-store/
Computer Room Services - purchase the Kibo XS Cloud-based
software solution
Giraffe-Reader – purchase the flat-pack Giraffe Reader stand
for your phone
https://www.giraffe-reader.com
Pneuma Solutions - purchase DocuScan for Windows and Mac.
Sight and Sound Technology Ltd - purchase AngelEye Desktop, K1000
and OpenBook, all for Windows.
VisionAid Technologies - search for a range of stand-alone
OCR scanners for blind and low vision users
Conclusion
As you can see, there is probably something out there that
meets everyone’s needs. If you are
studying in higher education, you would be entitled to claim Disabled Student’s
Allowance (DSA.) This helps with
equipment and any physical support you might require. Ask your education provider to put you in
touch with your nearest DSA team so they can help you apply for funding.
Alternatively, please contact me for advice or suggestions
on what equipment to purchase,