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#CSUN15 Audio: Real-time iOS OCR from Amedia


In this interview, Rena Takiguchi, International Sales and Purchasing Representative for Amedia, gives us a quick look at the iYomube app for OCR on iOS. This app is meant to be used with streett signs and the like, and can also be used to OCR standard printed pages. You can get the app for $29 in the app store, and you can visit the Amedia website to learn more about Amedia's products.

Be sure to check our audio page for more exhibit hall coverage, and check out our new weekly podcast for news and features about technology and beyond. Blind Bargains audio coverage of CSUN 2015 is generously sponsored by the American Foundation for the Blind. Enjoy our Podcasts? You can help us out by taking this very short survey.

Transcript

We strive to provide an accurate transcription, though errors may occur.

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Transcribed by Kayde Rieken

Welcome to BlindBargains.com coverage of CSUN 2015 — the biggest names, provocative interviews, and wall-to-wall exhibit hall coverage — brought to you by the American Foundation for the Blind.

The Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness is an essential professional resource and the journal of record on issues related to blindness and vision loss. Subscribe now and get immediate access to news from the field, current research and best practice information, and a calendar of events. For more information, go to www.jvib.org.

Now, here's J.J. Meddaugh.

J.J. Meddaugh: We are here at CSUN 2015 with Rena Takiguchi. She works for a company from Japan, right, called Amedia?

Rena Takiguchi: Yes.

JM: Amedia. And Amedia has, among other things here, a real-time OCR app for the iPhone. Welcome to the podcast, Rena.

RT: Thank you.

JM: What does that mean? Why don't — tell us what you have here.

RT: Okay. This is an iOS app that reads out what is captured in the picture frame, real-time. So if it finds any text in the frame, it reads out live.

JM: Okay. Let's — let's put — let's try to put the phone near the —

RT: Okay.

JM: — recorder.

RT: Okay.

JM: I can — you can wave it at some things maybe, and —

RT: Okay.

[After a pause, the phone reads some garbled text.]

JM: So — so that's your — your brochure, and —

RT: It's our banners on the wall.

JM: How do you hone in — so as you're moving around, it sounds like you're — you're getting some useful text. You're getting a little bit of garbage.

RT: Yeah. So this app is designed for the use at the street — on the street when you're walking —

JM: Okay.

RT: — you point the — the iPhone to whatever — directions —

JM: Street signs.

RT: And if there are street signs, it can read it all out.

JM: How do you know where the street sign is?

RT: You don't have to know. I mean, you point it to anywhere; and if there's some text, the phone vibrates —

JM: Okay.

RT: — and reads out what's written there.

JM: Is it — is it pretty liberal on — like, you could point it either direction or —

RT: Yes. Either direction.

JM: Horizontal, vertical —

RT: If there's text in the frame, then it reads out.

JM: Okay. Any other features of the app, or —

RT: Yes. It works as a regular OCR app. Like, you can take a picture and have it OCR it.

JM: Okay.

RT: Just like KNFB Reader.

JM: Sure. Right. So it's on the — it's on the iPhone currently, or is it on any other platforms, or —

RT: It's on the iPhone.

JM: And —

RT: I mean, it's an iOS app.

JM: And actually, we — we never said — the name of the app?

RT: iYomube.

JM: And you're — you're going to want to spell that, I'm sure.

RT: (Laughs) Okay. i-Y-o-m-u-b-e.

JM: There we go. And how much is the app?

RT: 29.99 U.S. dollars.

JM: Okay. That's available now?

RT: Yes, it is.

JM: Okay. And what else do you — you have a couple other products here. Quickly, what else do you have here?

RT: Yes. We have a desktop reading machine as well, which is called YMB, with a scanner; so you — you scan in printed material and it — it's — the YMB scans it and reads it — what is written in the document.

JM: Okay.

RT: Yeah.

JM: And how long have you — you're from Japan, right? Your company?

RT: Yes.

JM: How long has your company been around?

RT: We've been in business for 25 years.

JM: Oh, wow. What kind of products have you done over the years? The —

RT: Assistive technology products for visually impaired people — like, all kinds of products, like Braille displays or screen readers or anything.

JM: Have any of your products come to this country and then been re- — you know — -branded by — as other companies pick them up, or —

RT: No, not yet.

JM: Okay.

RT: No, we just started export business last year. So we're pretty famous inside Japan, but not internationally. So —

JM: Is this your first time at CSUN?

RT: Yes.

JM: So is that part — obviously, it's part of your goal, right, is to —

RT: Yeah.

JM: — maybe get some company here to —

RT: Yeah.

JM: do —

RT: Yes. Yeah.

JM: Okay.

RT: That's what we're hoping.

JM: Well, great. Well, thank you for — for showing us the app. If you'd give us your website, or how can people get more information?

RT: Yeah. Please visit our website. It's www.amedia.co.jp.

JM: And let's spell that.

RT: And again, Amedia is A-m-e-d-i-a.

JM: Amedia.co.jp.

RT: .co.jp.

JM: Is there — is there an English version of the site up there?

RT: Yes. Okay. Amedia.co.jp/English.

JM: /English. There you go.

RT: Yeah. That's the English page.

JM: Hey, thank you so much for coming on and showing this to us.

RT: Thank you very much.

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J.J. Meddaugh is an experienced technology writer and computer enthusiast. He is a graduate of Western Michigan University with a major in telecommunications management and a minor in business. When not writing for Blind Bargains, he enjoys travel, playing the keyboard, and meeting new people.


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