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#CSUN14 Audio: Honest Vision's $15,000 Computer-based OCR System


Honest Vision introduced a new computer and camera system which featured a screenless Windows 7 laptop and an attached camera to perform optical character recognition. We spoke with HOnest Vision President Young Cho and Engineer Luan DIns to learn more and get a live demo of the product. Blind Bargains audio coverage of CSUN 2014 is generously sponsored by the American Foundation for the Blind.

Transcript

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

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Transcribed by Kayde Rieken

Direct from San Diego, it's BlindBargains.com coverage of CSUN 2014. The biggest names, provocative interviews, and wall-to-wall exhibit hall coverage. Brought to you by the American Foundation for the Blind.

VisionAware.org is a free, easy-to-use website for adults with vision problems. If you're having trouble seeing and don't know where to turn for answers, VisionAware provides you with expert solutions and advice. Learn about your eye condition; get practical advice for working with vision loss; discover how to keep doing all the things you love to do. Find help, hope, and connection at VisionAware.org.

Now, here's J.J. Meddaugh.

J.J. Meddaugh: We're here at CSUN with Young Cho, who is the president of Honest Vision. Honest Vision has a new computer OCR system here at CSUN. Young, welcome to the podcast.

Young Cho: Thank you.

JM: Why don't you tell me what we're looking at here.

YC: Yeah. We are making an OCR unit. Its difference — it's not just the OCR unit. You can use it as a computer, so with — it's a camera unit; it's detachable — attachable to the main unit, so —

JM: Mm-hmm.

YC: — when you attach the main unit, you can use it as a normal OCR unit; but detachable — detach it when you use it as a computer, normal computer.

JM: What operating system is it?

YC: Win 7.

JM: Windows 7.

YC: Yeah.

JM: Okay. So this is a camera-based OCR, and it looks like it's an arm that folds up and down and —

YC: Yeah, yeah.

JM: And it extends, what, about 12, 14 inches —

YC: Yes.

JM: — like the typical camera system that you would place the paper underneath.

YC: Yeah, yeah. Mm-hmm.

JM: Do you have it turned on right now, or —

YC: Yeah. Can you wait a little bit?

JM: Yep.

YC: Yeah. Let me turn off and turn on again here.

JM: So it feels like a piece of tough plastic.

YC: Yeah.

JM: The top arm folds down, and then this kind of retracts. What does it weigh, about —

YC: It is — it can — yeah.

JM: Oh, the bottom — this is the paper guide; it kind of folds in as well.

YC: Yeah, yeah. Paper, yeah.

JM: And it folds into itself.

YC: Yeah.

JM: Okay. And in a second —

YC: Yeah.

JM: He's bringing up the software so we can try it out.

YC: Yeah.

JM: And that's a regular Windows 7 computer that comes with it.

YC: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yes.

JM: And you are running —

(The computer makes its start-up sound.)

JM: Oh, here we go.

YC: Yeah,

(The computer plays a chime, then begins speaking.)

YC: Okay, hold on.

JM: What language is that?

YC: It's Korean, yeah. (Laughs)

JM: Oh, so obviously, it does multiple — different languages.

YC: Yeah, yeah.

JM: Where's the company from?

YC: It's Honest Vision from Korea.

JM: Oh, okay. Which would make sense why you have Korean as your default language, of course.

YC: (Laughs) Yeah, yeah.

JM: Absolutely.

YC: Yeah. Okay, it's a different site I went to, so yeah.

JM: Okay. So how do we start scanning here?

YC: Scanning?

JM: Mm-hmm.
JM: Yeah. It's like — can you hold on a little bit? We've got my engineer coming to — and —

JM: Yep.

YC: — operate this system.

JM: Sure.

YC: It's — it's a prototype, so I can't handle that.

JM: Okay. We're here now joined with Luan Dins, who is an engineer for this product. He's going to show it to us. So why don't you show us how we scan something here?

Luan Dins: Yeah. Actually, we just press the C button — I mean, C key, and — C, and then.

JM: Okay.

(The camera clicks.)

LD: It'll take a picture —

JM: It took a picture.

LD: — and then convert to text.

YC: First phase it takes time. Second phase is much faster.

(The computer begins processing the image.)

JM: "Image is converting."

LD: Yeah.

(The computer begins reading the scanned text.)

JM: So as you can hear, it pretty much got most of the page. This is your brochure, or —

YC: Yeah, it's my brochure.

JM: Sure. So you're running software on the computer —

YC: Yep.

JM: — to — to do this?

LD: Yeah.

JM: And I guess I didn't mention earlier — so the camera — unlike the other systems that are out there, it's actually attached —

YC: Yeah.

JM: — to the computer.

YC: Yeah.

JM: And it's a screenless computer, right?

YC: Yeah.

JM: There's no screen on this computer at all.

YC: Yeah, yeah.

JM: So that makes it a little bit different from, obviously, other systems that are out there.

LD: Yeah.

JM: What other features are — is on this — the scanner or the software or the computer? What else does it do?

LD: Yeah, we can use scanner instead of the camera.

JM: Mm-hmm.

LD: And then you can read it on USB to read the text files.

JM: Okay.

LD: Yeah. And also, you can convert the image — you can — you have the image, and you can convert that image to text and you can read it.

JM: Okay. Right, definitely. So have you — this is a prototype, right? Or it's an early version?

YC: Yeah, it's a prototype, yeah.

JM: And you're still working on figuring out how to make this all work. Have you talked about a price yet, or —

YC: Yeah, not yet, but it will be approximately 15,000 U.S. dollars.

JM: Okay. 15?

YC: Yeah.

JM: Okay. And do you have a U.S. dealer yet, or are you still kind of looking at this point or —

YC: Yeah, still looking at it.

JM: Okay. All right. If people want to get more information, do you guys have a website or place that they can learn more?

YC: Yeah, we have — we have — I can give you my email address.

JM: Go ahead and say that right now.

YC: Yeah. ycho@honestvision.co.kr.

JM: Okay. And then, of course — is the website honestvision.co.kr?

YC: Yeah, okay. Of course, yeah, yeah.

JM: Awesome. Hey, thank you so much.

YC: Thank you.

Blind Bargains is your home for the latest assistive technology news and reviews. Visit us at blbargains.com, or follow @blindbargains on Twitter for the inside scoop.

This has been another Blind Bargains audio podcast. Visit BlindBargains.com for the latest deals, news, and exclusive content. This podcast may not be retransmitted, sold, or reproduced without the express, written permission of ATGuys. Copyright 2014.


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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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