One of the most popular apps for blind and low vision users is finally able to recognise Australian currency.
Seeing AI, Microsoft’s flagship free app that narrates anything that your smartphone or device picks up through its camera, has been updated to include more currency options, including our Australian colourful bank notes.
Talking Tech host David Woodbridge said it’s an important update, especially for when you encounter an old bank note that doesn’t include tactile markers.
“So all you do is put it in currency mode with the camera, and I'll tell you if it's $10 or not,” David said.
While the currency recognition is a welcome update, David said there’s still other features he’d like included in the app.
“I just wished after almost two years of this pandemic that I wish they actually had the QR reading code function,” he said.
“So they've got barcode in there which tells you where the barcode is and read it out to you, but I just wish they would have done that for QR codes, but hopefully next year.”
Seeing AI has become a hugely popular app for the sheer number of functions it offers blind and low vision users.
It reads out written text, can scan product barcodes and identifies colours.
“It uses light to work out where objects in a room, such as a chair and you can label chairs and tables and desks and windows,” David said.
Listen to the full epsiode in the player below:
Seeing AI’s best features:
- Short text
It speaks text as soon as it appears in front of the camera.
- Product barcode reader
Gives audio beeps to help locate barcodes and then scans them to identify products.
- Handwriting recognition
If the handwriting is clear enough, the app can read out handwritten text.
- Colour identification
Describes the perceived colour in front of the camera.
- ID
Recognises friends and describes people around you, including their emotions
Don’t forget: Last webinar of the year.
Year in review for 2021
Description: Special guest, Tony Wu, will join David Woodbridge to highlight their favourite solutions, viewed as the most beneficial aids for people who are blind or have low vision.
Date: Wednesday 22 December 2021
Time: 12:30 PM (AEST)
Zoom link: Registrations are now closed.
Webinar video will be available post event via the youtube playlist.
Hear more tech tips from a blind and low vision perspective every week on Talking Tech, Tuesday 4.30pm AEST or catch up with the podcast via Spotify, Omny, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts.