Voice-output reading system with gesture-based navigation
US6115482A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 22, 1998 |
| Grant date | Sep 5, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 22, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F2203/0331
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An optical-input print reading device with voice output for people with impaired or no vision in which the user provides input to the system from hand gestures. Images of the text to be read, on which the user performs finger- and hand-based gestural commands, are input to a computer, which decodes the text images into their symbolic meanings through optical character recognition, and further tracks the location and movement of the hand and fingers in order to interpret the gestural movements into their command meaning. In order to allow the user to select text and align printed material, feedback is provided to the user through audible and tactile means. Through a speech synthesizer, the text is spoken audibly. For users with residual vision, visual feedback of magnified and image enhanced text is provided. Multiple cameras of the same or different field of view can improve performance. In addition, alternative device configurations allow portable operation, including the use of cameras located on worn platforms, such as eyeglasses, or on a fingertip system. The use of gestural commands is natural, allowing for rapid training and ease of use. The device also has application as an …
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.