2017-07-12 18:55:22

Hey everyone.
Today, Microsoft released their app to assist blind and visually impaired people to the US appstore.
The app combines different features from a multitude of apps already available, such as recognizing long and short documents, barcode scanner and reader, person recognition, face regocnition and scene describtion.
It's using the cognitive projects algorythm to for example telling someone how old a person is, what facial recognition he or she has and much more.
The barcode reader with an beeping system to tell the user where he has to point there camera. I haven't tried out the document reading part, but the short text channel, good for describtions of anvilopes, bottles, kans of food works really great. I personally find that it's far better than comparable apps out there, like tap tap see, Camfind and so on.
You can find the app in the US appstore for free, if you have an US Store account, you can also download it when you are not in the US.
If there are questions and or comments, feel free to ask them here.
Greetings Moritz

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2017-07-12 19:30:39 (edited by Orko 2017-07-12 19:32:31)

What do they recommend for a camera? A web cam?

Unfortunately I don't have access to their app store yet as I'm still running Windows 7 but an app like this might convince me to do the upgrade to 10.

2017-07-12 19:53:00

Is there a app port for android

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2017-07-12 21:03:01

Microsoft's new AI app describes the world for the visually impaired,

now available on iPhone
https://www.geekwire.com/2017/microsoft … bes-world-

visually-impaired-now-available-iphone/

BY
TODD BISHOP
on July 12, 2017 at 7:08 am

The new Seeing AI app from Microsoft narrates the world for the

visually impaired.

Microsoft released a new artificial intelligence app for iPhone
this morning that can read text from signs and documents aloud,

describe people and their emotions, identify currency values, and

narrate the activity
taking place in front of the user, among other futuristic features.

The app, called Seeing AI, is designed for the visually impaired but

also serves as a showcase for Microsoft’s artificial intelligence

capabilities. The
initial release on iPhone continues Microsoft’s approach, under CEO

Satya Nadella, of working with a variety of platforms beyond its own

Windows operating system.

Seeing AI app from Microsoft - YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqeQByqf_f8

Seeing AI
was first previewed at a Microsoft conference last year,
but wasn’t available publicly until now.

The news was part of an event this morning in London where the company
made a series of AI announcements,
including a new AI “research and incubation hub” inside Microsoft

Research, a new “Ethical Design Guide for AI” and 
an initiative called AI for Earth
to encourage the use of artificial intelligence for environmental

solutions.

Microsoft is competing against a variety of tech companies seeking to

make a mark in artificial intelligence, including Amazon, Google,

Facebook, SalesForce
and others. The company last year formed
a new 5,000-person engineering and research team,
called the Microsoft AI and Research Group, led by veteran technology

exec Harry Shum, to further its AI initiatives.

Update: The currency recognition feature is listed as “coming in

future.” We’ve asked Microsoft for more information on the timing.

Seeing AI app - Currency Channel - YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8XpZpeUYnU

todd
Todd Bishop is GeekWire's co-founder and editor, a longtime technology

journalist who covers subjects including cloud tech, e-commerce,

virtual reality,
devices, apps and tech giants such as Amazon.com, Apple, Microsoft and

Google. Follow him
@toddbishop,
email
[email protected],
or call (206) 294-6255.

2017-07-12 23:33:46

Hi.
At orco, it's not a windows app, it's an app for iOS, not currently available for android.

Hail the unholy church of Satan, go share it's greatness.

2017-07-12 23:41:27

That wasn't made clear until I went to the linked article. Just like iOS and Android Windows 10 has it's own app store where you can get apps like KNFB Reader for Windows.

2017-07-12 23:48:19

Any idea when this will be available in more countries?

Brendan
-----
There is one rule above all others for being a man.  Whatever comes, face it on your feet.
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2017-07-13 00:11:39

just downloaded it. I'll test it out and report back here later

2017-07-13 06:30:28 (edited by grryfindore 2017-07-13 06:31:00)

Hi,
here is the app link to the app store
For the first time something is available in india along with in the US lol
This app is available in India, USA, CA,Singapur and maybe one or 2 more countries that I'm missing.
Sounds really great though, downloading it if my device allows me  to do so. joys of a 16gb device lol
Grryf

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2017-07-13 11:52:09

Hi.
It#s just around 150 MB, shouldnt be to much trouble I guess. As far as I know, the app is currently available in 12 cuntrys, but I don't know which ones because I couldn't find an acurate list anywhere.
Ok, just noticed that I missed to say that the app is for iOs, I know that windows has the windows app store, forgot to mension that though.
Greetings Moritz.

Hail the unholy church of Satan, go share it's greatness.

2017-07-13 12:41:42

I downloaded the app and installed it on 2 iPhones, a5s and a 7.
It works great on the 7, identifying cans from soup to nuts. The soup even gave cooking instructions.
It read documents and with the short text feature described ingredients and product information on the can of nuts.
The 5s didn't allow me to use the bar code finding and voicing feature, which is probably just in the 6 or 7.
I plan on getting a new phone in October so it I'll have to wait for that.
I wouldn't try to read banking info or credit card bills as the information goes up to the cloud to be read.
We didn't try the person identification or video description features.

2017-07-13 13:48:04

Hi.
From personal experience I can say that the person and face identification works great, at leased on the 6S model, the scene describtion is not yet complete, but this is also stated in the app.
Greetings Moritz.

Hail the unholy church of Satan, go share it's greatness.

2017-07-13 13:57:39

For this app I need jan iphone se or something alitle kiap because I allready have an expensive phone and I do not want another just for an app.

I am myself and noone is ever gonna change me, I am the trolling master!

2017-07-13 14:14:00

Seeing AI, a free app that narrates the world around you, is available now to iOS customers in the United States, Canada, India, Hong Kong, New Zealand and Singapore.
https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/access … app-store/

If its available in other countries,  I'm unsure where to find a complete list.

BTW, this app

2017-07-13 15:05:41

Hi.
At angel, do you have an android phone or what? Otherwise I don't see why you would need a new phone.
Greetings Moritz.

Hail the unholy church of Satan, go share it's greatness.

2017-07-13 15:26:51

Does it runs on iPhone 5?

2017-07-13 16:29:24

Yeah, it should, I don't see why there should be a problem.
Greetings Moritz.

Hail the unholy church of Satan, go share it's greatness.

2017-07-13 16:38:55

Yes, a samsung galaxy s7 edge and this was expensive and I do not want another expensive phone just for an app.
I have a jailbroken iphone 3gs working just fine but nah, I do not think to install it here.

I am myself and noone is ever gonna change me, I am the trolling master!

2017-07-13 17:27:02 (edited by flackers 2017-07-13 17:31:10)

I'd love to try this, but the trouble is there's hardly any market for stuff like this as a stand-alone device these days, and |I don't think I'll ever be able to find a reasonable excuse for owning an expensive phone. I still have the most basic pay-as-you-go mobile phone you can imagine. Even though I love gadgets, and can afford one, I've never even thought about owning a smart phone. It's getting that way with software that not owning that kind of phone is like being a leper or something. And I'm deeply distrustful of a lot of the technology involved in devices these days too. All this face and voice recognition and GPS is useful for the user, but also for anyone who wants to know exactly whose face is looking at the ads, what gender they are, how old they are, where they've been, and what they've been talking about this week.

2017-07-13 18:14:05

Hi.
At Flackers, well, if you worry about your computer, than sell your computer, turn off any electronical devices, never go out shopping anymore, don't be outside anymore, and so on. You are already creating data when you surf the web, click websites, look at products online, go through the streets and and a CCTV has you in view, you get what I mean?
So, if you have the possibilitys, why don't you just go ahead and at leased try working with a state of the art phone?
Greetings Moritz.

Hail the unholy church of Satan, go share it's greatness.

2017-07-13 18:30:32

I know, it's a really cynical view, and there's no escaping it. And I really don't mean to bring this topic down, but I do question the motives of companies such as MS, Apple, and Google. If they want to be utterly self-interested, okay, that's the society we live in, I just don't particularly like it when they try to tack on some apparently altruistic intent. I don't have a smart phone because I don't need one, not for privacy reasons. If I had a really active social life, no doubt I'd own one. My point about privacy was really just a comment on the kinds of devices we have today. If 20 years ago the state told us we had to all carry a device that would listen in on all our conversations and even film us in our own front rooms and everywhere else and monitor every move we make, we'd have tolde them where they can shove that idea, but that's where we are right now by desire. If you got the wrong people in power, we're in quite a precarious position if you think about it.

2017-07-13 18:57:05

Just downloaded it, will post when I have tryed it properly.

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2017-07-13 19:34:07

Well, apparently, the app only works with IOS 10. Maybe I will update on my old phone on the weekend...

Now, about trusting technology or not. It is actually pretty odd, how we humans behave, when it comes to that. When we leave our rooms or apartments, we always make sure, that the door is locked. We always make sure, that no one can steal our wallit. But when it comes to being present on the internet, we can't be conspicuous enough. Twitter, foursquare, and of course Facebook. I don't want to think about, how vulnerable we make ourselves by giving everything from us away so easily. So yes, I think humanity should be a bit more cautious with these things. And yes, I think the motives of companies like Apple or Microsoft should be questioned. No company is completely selfless.

2017-07-13 20:08:41

Well, it is easier for someone to stiel your vollit if you are living in the same street or in the same part  of the town as the feef but not on the other side of the globe. But we still need to be very carefull on the internet.

If life gives you communism, become a communist dictator.

2017-07-13 21:59:27

I am sure it will not work on iPhone 5 or earlier as they are 32 bit devices.
The Seeing AI is a 64 bit app and the 5s and 5c were the first 64 bit iPhones.
It works better with a iPhone 6 and newer as they have the laser bar code reader feature that the iPhone 5s doesn't have.
I have a 5s and it doesn't scan bar codes of packages but it does read the text on the label of products.
I also have a 7 and it reads the bar codes of packages such as soup, nuts, and frozen food. I like it better than Digit-eyes but am sorry that independent apps like it may soon disappear as you can't compete with a free app.
Microsoft might start a monthly subscription to the product in the future like they do with Word and Office.
I thin Tap Tap See was free at the beginning and now charges for it.