There are many OCR options available on the market. They come in all shapes and sizes, hardware and software configurations, variety of features and prices. In the end, they all provide electronic text that can be access with through built-in TTS or a screen reader or customized for visual access. With OCR now available for free through Google Docs, web-based services like www.robobraille.orgg and free, or very low-cost Apps for iOS and Android devices why would you pay even $299 for an OCR software package, let along $999 – $4,000?

Aside from the obvious, everyone’s needs, desires, preferences etc. are different the answer, in my opinion, lies in the flexibility and ease of use of the paid programs. Though, I too struggle with paying $999 for software that has a free alternative. I find DocuScanPlus to be that solid middle ground in price, ease of use, flexibility and quality.

iOS, Android and Google Docs Web App are making it easier than ever to perform OCR, and access previously blank pieces of paper, anywhere. That is of course if you like spending time making sure that the lighting, distance from the paper, and coping with all of the other factors that go into taking a picture with a mobile camera, or are a Google Web Apps master, and have screen reader access on every computer you might possibly interact with.

And, if you want to access that text on any of your other devices or formats, well, I hope you like jumping through hoops. DocuScanPlus price tag still makes a few people cringe, $299. However, the easy to use interface, cloud storage built-in TTS option, and multi-platform capabilities certainly make it an appealing, flexible, accessible and more affordable, option than some other programs or hardware combinations.

It is not possible to stress the ease of use of DocuScanPlus enough! The software is simple to install, recognises the image capture hardware/software attached to/installed on the computer automatically, and there are no complex menus to navigate, you don’t have to memorize keystrokes to make it easier to perform actions, and the language used to convey the meaning of different buttons is clear and easy to understand.

There are only five (5) options when you first launch the program: Scan a Document Read a file on this computer Manage files Download from Bookshare Send Feedback How much easier does it get?

The one thing I do find to be a bit cumbersome is saving the scanned document in a different format for use on other devices. This would intuitively be something you could do, like saving, after scanning a file, however the options are only available once the document has been saved to the DocuScanPlus Cloud and you open the document again using the file management tools. Compared to the process of scanning? uploading to Drive > converting > converting to .doc, .txt or .rtf format > downloading from Drive > moving to portable device, that is involved in performing OCR using Google Drive however, this process, and the variety of formats available in DocuScanPlus puts it a bit ahead of that free competition in my opinion. You can save documents in the following formats in DocuScanPlus MP3 Structured DAISY Braille Text Large Print text

In tests the recognition process accurately recognizes and formats links, e-mail addresses, and often recognizes heading structure/formatting correctly. In 9 out of 10 scanning tests the heading structure of a pdf I had previously saved on my computer was recognized correctly. In all 10 of my scanning tests the recognition errors were never so significant for me, as to impact my comprehension of the material scanned. Was it perfect, no, but it was close enough that I could get the idea, and if I wanted I could confidently edit the errors out, without sighted assistance to compare the printed copy to the newly created electronic copy.

There are a few things I’d like to see added to the newest release of DocuScanPlus, and I’ll be taking full advantage of that send feedback button, but all-in-all I’d say that Matt has done it again, created an intuitive, easy to use product, that allows users to get the job done with as little hassle as possible!

Update: June 16

I knew when I posted my initial thoughts that changes would be made, as DSP V3 is in a testing phase. In fact just a short 7 days after writing the first
draft changes were made, and if the fact that in that 7 days the placement of buttons for saving, or converting, scanned documents into different formats,
were created and implemented in more intuitive locations, doesn’t speak to the developers commitment to the product, and making it as easy as possible
for the end user I don’t know what will.
In addition to more intuitive placement of these types of controls I also found that downloading content from bookshare is an easy and intuitive process.

I hope to have time to write a bit more soon!
If you haven’t tried DSP yet I’d encourage you to do so, and keep in mind that feedback really is taken into consideration!

In a recent SeroTalk Extra I joined Mike Matt, hope and Derick for a roundtable discussion of smart watches, home automation and the future of the PC. I learned my lesson – BE PREPARED FOR ANYTHING! Including Mike to interrupt the flow of thoughts & Jo to put me on the spot and ask for predictions… I failed miserably, but in an effort to redeem myself…

Wearables

According to a forecast published by Grand View Research the primary market for the smart watches is, and will continue to be, the health & fitness market. I don’t think this really comes as a surprise to anyone. The variety of sensors built into the watch have yet to prove their worth/ability, but in our ever health/exercise minded culture I think the smart watch manufactures have found a niche market, that has already proven its spending power. A CNet review covers the Watch in detail, and points out the major weakness is definitely the battery life. I however would not be surprised to see the Apple Watch revolutionise the world of health & fitness, much like the IPhone revolutionized the Smart Phone market in 2007. One thing we did not discuss in the recording was wearable accessibility. A few web searches have yielded nothing of value, for me, as it relates to accessibility of other devices. I’ve been able to locate information about how the app for the smart phone is accessible with the devices accessibility features, but nothing on the devices actual accessibility. That is, except for when looking at the Apple Watch. Since just before the release on April 10th, and since, there have been a few reviews on Apple Watch Accessibility. One of my favorites is “Apple Watch and Accessibility: First Look and More” by Steven Aquino.

Life or Death of the PC

Much like the Apple Watch, Pebble and other smart wearables are accessories to the smart phone, I think that the smart phone/tablet are, and will remain, accessories to the PC in the near future. While most high school students I have spoken to recently believe that the computer is dead, they reluctantly admit that there are still things they have to do on the computer because it is just easier. They write drafts of papers on their smart phone or tablet, but they need to, or prefer to, use the computer to put the finishing touches on it. If you’re looking for a wearable device that would replace your computer, tablet, smart phone and smart watch consider checking out the Neptue Suite Hub project on Indiegogo.

Life or Death of Access Technology

It seems as though it is impossible to have a discussion regarding the life or death of the PC without also having one on the life or death of access technology these days. Everywhere we turn mainstream companies are building access technologies into their devices. This is great! However, it is important to keep in mind that to mainstream companies we are, at best, 15% of their market base, and that access to a device is different than the usability or learn ability of the device and its access features. A 2013 report by Gartner Inc. encourages companies to integrate assistive technology into development. The report explains how features, once considered assistive technology for people with disabilities (PWD), are now being used by non-disabled people to solve situational/environmental disabilities, which expands the access, or assistive, technology use to a larger market.

The access technologies that have been built in, in many cases, have been designed for the casual alternative access user, not the every day user who accesses the devices with alternative strategies and tools. People without disabilities use things like Siri differently than someone who cannot use his/her hands or eyes to interact with a device. Siri is a great solution for speech-to-text for a able bodied person driving a car, but not for a quadriplegic. The text-to-speech feature of Siri is great for a sighted driver, who needs/wants quick text-to-speech response from his/her device but is not the same as VoiceOver, and gaining access to the device for someone who is blind. Don’t get me wrong, I love VoiceOver on my IOS device, and it gets the every day job done, but there is still much to be desired, in my opinion.

While Mike and Matt rightly point out that mainstream companies are moving to a system in which 3rd party access technologies are being cut out, like the Apple ecosystem, I don’t think that the day of 3rd party access is over. Do these mainstream companies get it? Do they really understand how people with disabilities access their devices? I don’t think they quite get it yet. One of two things needs to happen, in my opinion; either access technology companies need to quit complaining and start innovating to keep up with the trends, or they need to start applying for management positions within the mainstream companies and start building teams of engineers who do get it, and can work from the inside to build access solutions that do not just give access to the devices, but deliver true usability with an easy learning curve.

Home Automation

I’ve clearly had some more time to think on this topic. However, I have nothing new to add to my thoughts in the recording. Home automation is not even on my technology radar. Maybe it should be, but our environment, and experiences, shape our interests, and I trust the little old lady across the street far more than I trust tech. If I forget to turn the crock pot on before leaving for work, and I call her to run over and turn it on, not only will I get dinner but she’ll probably bake cornbread or cookies or something to add to the meal. Lets see your home automation system do that!

Jay P. asked the question, “Why do you feel that Jaws is better in IE” in response to an earlier post, “The Argument for Becoming Multi Tech Savvy”. My response turned out to be pretty lengthy, and in the end … Continue reading →

What makes someone a leader or a professional? Is it their ability to aspire and motivate subordinates? Is it a specific set of skills or knowledge? Perhaps, or perhaps it is far more. I think ultimately the definitions are subjective … Continue reading →

There is a lot of discussion out there regarding which screen reader and operating system combination is best. Each camp has their arguments, and honestly I can’t disagree, to adimently, with any of them. The thing is, in my experience, … Continue reading →